Triumphant
by Heroverse101
Summary: The world is a unique place. With so many possibilities, it is impossible to determine one's fate. Ash Ketchum learns the hard way. After receiving his first Pokemon, he sets out on a journey that will test him greater than anything he's seen before. Faced with choices and the dangers of the outside world, Ash will truly strive to be the best like no one ever was.
1. 00-Introduction

**Disclaimer: Here it is, my dream project that I've been working on! Sorry for being away for so long but with my life as a senior in high school, things can get out of hand every while. But now I'm back on the grind and hopefully will finish this story. I'm already done with the planning and everything else. All that's left is to write it out!**

 **So here is the prologue chapter of sorts...well it's not really a chapter, but an introduction to what this story is going to be about. Be sure to read the whole thing as I will answer only SOME questions, not all of them. This intro will just tell you guys the main things about this story and how it will go. I'll post the first chapter in a few days or maybe if I'm lucky, sooner than that. Anyway, here you go!**

 **Triumphant**

-Introduction: Something You Need to Know-

First of all, let me just get something out of the way. The **"M"** rating in this story actually is put there due to paranoia from yours truly. While there aren't any "lemons" in this story, there will be ALOT of cursing and use of bad words and controversial topics, as well as slight sexual themes. The main point is cursing though, as you can expect the F-Bomb to be dropped so many times here. Just a warning so you guys know.

Now then, this will obviously be a retelling of Ash's journey in Kanto but with a huge twist.

-One, this is going to be more focused on the games rather than the anime, so don't expect too much anime plots here as most of this story is entirely original.

-Two, there are some arcs in the story which are influenced by many other Pokemon stories I've read and are written almost the same. Such stories I can include here are my most influences and my favorite: "The Road to Be a Pokemon Master" by FanaticLAGuy06, "Renegade" by 0 Jordinio 0, "Challenger" by darkfire1220, and "The Child of Mew" by DarkFoxKit. Make sure to check these stories out as they are INSANE.

-And finally three, like I said, since this is more game focused, Ash will be having one main team with SIX Pokemon, rather than the army he has in the anime. It's a simple idea I borrowed from "Challenger" and it makes things alot easier. Will it be all Kanto Pokemon? No. You'll just have to see.

-Also, there is a shipping involved later in the story, although I won't say who. It will be rather surprising to most of you since this is ME where talking here, so yeah.

-This story will follow Ash's journey through Kanto which is based off the games FireRed and LeafGreen, so yeah Sevii Islands are actually a thing in this.

-Another twist is that the Orange Islands will be a small arc in this story and will tie in to the plot, so it will be somewhere in the middle of Ash's Kanto journey. Strange, isn't it?

-The main structure of this story are "arcs". This story is divided into many arcs, the largest being Ash's beginning steps in his journey, such as collecting the lower gym badges and such. There will be other arcs that are not key to Kanto and rather unusual to be here. You'll find out what I mean.

-In addition, there will be THREE movie arcs, but only ONE has a direct tie in to Kanto while the other two will be movies that have appeared in different regions. I've somehow managed to work this out, don't ask me how.

-This story will be long. Not exactyl hitting the triple digits but close. I'm talking about 90 chapters, ladies and gentlemen.

-FINALLY, with the way this story is going and how it will end, there WILL be a sequel. However, I haven't even started anything on that except thinking how the beginning will start out. Don't question it, but it will be released whenever I can.

And that wraps it up for the introduction! Hope you guys are hyped for this as I can't wait to get into the grind. While I do have a tendency to abandon fics or just not update them, I can assure you this story is not like that as I've written rough drafts of each chapter and all I have left is to finalize them.

Another thing, if you have read my other stories (particularly my tournament fic called "The Challenger Returns"), then I want you guys to know that I will get back to updating them as soon as I am done with this series, which will only be two stories. But I think you guys can wait, as this story is bound to keep you hyped all the way...unless you are tired of Ash journey fanfics, which is totally understandable but this is something I've always wanted to do and that got me into Pokemon fanfiction in the first place, so this is a big deal to me.

Other than my rambling, I hope you guys enjoy this story and be on the lookout for the first chapter!

 _-Heroverse101_


	2. 01-Choosing the Path

**Disclaimer: Here is the first chapter! Obviously this is the first one so it won't be too different from the other stories, other than the multiple flashbacks in the beginning. Enjoy and remember to leave your reviews as I will be answering your questions! I'm honestly surprised this one came out sooner than expected but time flies when you're free for the day.**

 **Also, I changed the rating to "T". I figured why not as I read other stories who have worse and are T, so what's the point of leaving it at M then? I don't know, if things get crazy I'll change it back but for now it's going to be "T" rated.**

 **SilentSniper05: Sounds epic, ican't wait to read it. Pairing hmm it can't be Serena no way lol, you only included her on the characters. Lol, cya soon.**

 **-Haha great observation. But if you know me, then you'll know that not everything is at it seems. I don't happen to like Amourshipping that much as I despise Serena in the anime so you never know what could happen. Serena will just be in the story but to get with Ash...who knows? Anyway, thanks for the compliment and hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **alphawolf2196: sounds interesting. also shot in the dark from your bio I'm assuming it's amourshipping?**

 **-Well, my bio says I don't like Serena so it might not be amour. But you never know. This could be me trying to fool you but that's just ridiculous lol. Thanks anyway. This is the real chapter tho, so let's see how it goes.**

 **Triumphant**

-Chapter 1: Choosing the Path-

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts/Flashbacks_

 **Poke/** _ **speech**_

 **-XXX-**

 _"...and Bruno's Machamp is down! This is the second Pokemon Bruno has lost to Champion Lance's fearsome Dragonite! Will anything overcome this undefeated beast?!"_

 _The muscular man returned the fallen four armed warrior to its Poke Ball and brought out another device. Enlarging it, a bright light flashed briefly before a titanic, iron coated snake took its position and roared fiercely at the large, orange dragon standing before it. The dragon snarled as well and lowered its head, getting ready to combat its powerful opponent._

 _"And Bruno's final Pokemon is revealed to be his Steelix! This particular Pokemon of his is one of his first and has almost never been seen defeated! But will its sheer power and defense be enough to take on Lance's team of undefeated dragons?!"_

 _Bruno thrust an arm forward, signalling the start of an epic match to come. "Dragonbreath!"_

 _Steelix opened its mouth and spewed a coat of crackling draconic energy that sailed towards the opposing dragon on the other side. The dragon type's trainer swiped his arm, lifting his cape along as he shouted out a command. "Thunder Wave!"_

 _Dragonite's antennas seemed to buzz as a beam of electricity shot out and cut through the Dragonbreath, putting it out like a flick of a light switch. Dragonite calmly stared its opponent down as its trainer looked on with satisfaction._

 _"Fly!" A swift, yet commanding order that came out was followed by a sudden flap of the mighty dragon's wings that propelled it into the air, leaving a large gust of wind below. In the blink of an eye, Dragonite was already at least thirty feet in the air, staring down its opponent with a look of superiority._

 _"It seems like Lance has taken this fight to the air! With Steelix's typing preventing any sort of aerial advantage, how will Bruno fair against this new obstacle?!"_

 _Bruno seemed to smirk as his calm words reached out with a tone near unrecognizeable. "Ice Beam."_

 _The freezing, bone chilling beam that shot out of Steelix's mouth looked deadly enought as it sailed towards Dragonite at breakneck speed. There was no way Dragonite would be able to dodge it that easily._

 _Lance seemed to notice this and his next order earned many gasps of surprise from the crowd. "Fly through it!"_

 _Dragonite folded its wings as it dove down with blinding speed, its wings glowing white just before it made contact with the attack. The Steel Wing seemed to protect Dragonite as it cut through the ice like nothing and heading to its intended target._

 _"Curl left and hit it with Fire Blast!" Lance exclaimed. Dragonite grunted and did a swift barrel roll, avoiding the Iron Tail that was intended to knock it down, and uncurled itself before letting loose a wave of blazing hot flames that crashed into Steelix's side, earning a roar of pain from the snake._

 _"Shake off those flames! Gyro Ball!" Bruno shouted. Steelix's eyes snapped open as it somehow balanced itself on the tip of its tail and began to spin rapidly like a drill, spreading out the flames and leaving it unharmed._

 _Dragonite grunted and flew back a little and waited for the next set of commands. Unfortunately, they weren't pointed at him._

 _"Dig!" Bruno exclaimed, spreading his arms wide._

 _"Don't let it escape! Fire Punch!"_

 _Steelix was already gone by the time Dragonite's flame coated fist smashed into the ground where it once stood. The dragon looked around, seemingly confused by its opponent._

 _Lance was calm about this though. "Stay clear of the ground. Try to sense its movements, then hit it."_

 _Dragonite nodded and looked around, its antennas twitching once in a while as faint rumbles were heard from beneath the surface._

 _"It seems Bruno's Steelix has gone into hiding! This could be bad for Lance, as Dragonite is left wide open for anything! But Lance seems to have a plan as well! Just what is going on in the head of these elite fighters? What is their next move?"_

 _Bruno smiled. "Sorry my friend, but it seems like I've won this one. No hard feelings after this, eh?"_

 _Lance nodded back. "Right. I won't rub my win in your face again. It would be highly unprofessional."_

 _"Heh, well let's see. Let em loose, Steelix!" Bruno shouted, tossing his hands up._

 _The ground seemed to rumble as spectators looked on with anticipation. Lance calmly waited, despite the noise. Whatever Bruno was about to throw at him could be countered. He'd done it many times before._

 _It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Dragonite's antennas twitched again and the dragon's eyes snapped open, letting out a growl._

 _Everyone gasped as the ground suddenly blew apart, rocks and boulders that once stood proudly were sent flying in the air, aimed directly at the dragon. It didn't seem to stop, the carnage seemed to continue until there would be no solid ground left. It was raining boulders upside down and didn't let up._

 _Lance was ready for this however. "Steel Wing! Dodge as many boulders as you can and try to find it!"_

 _Dragonite roared and tucked its iron coated wings before diving down, swerving occasionally out of harms way. With Steel Wing protecting it, Dragonite was able to slice through each rock like nothing and stay unharmed as its eyes scanned the ground below it._

 _The gargantuan snake was nowhere to be spotted though and the rocks continued to burst from the ground. Eventually, Dragonite was flying at a lower altitude, desperately trying to seek out its opponent._

 _Bruno's face said it all. "It's no use. With the rocks providing cover and being underground, Steelix is impossible to find. Earth Power may not directly affect any flying types but it can certainly provide time for Steelix's next move."_

 _The black belt master folded his arms together, palms meeting palms. "And this is where MY plan comes into action. Ice Fang!"_

 _A large portion of the ground blew apart as the iron snake shot up and clamped its ice cold teeth into Dragonite's tail. The dragon let out a grunt of surprise as it was spun around when Steelix jerked its head to the side, smashing the dragon into the boulders and harming it even more._

 _Lance didn't seem to be doing anything as he watched his precious dragon get thrashed around. Bruno stood with a victorious smirk, knowing the battle was in his favor._

 _"Bruno has the upper hand now! Even a powerful Pokemon like Dragonite cannot escape the brutal strength of Steelix's attack, especially if it is super effective! What will Lance do now?"_

 _"Nothing, that's what!" Bruno shouted, thrusting out both palms. "Slam him to the ground, then Iron Tail!"_

 _Steelix roared and brought its head down, smashing Dragonite into the ground hard enough to create a large explosion. The snake then lashed out with its steel tail and slammed it down on the psuedo dragon, pinning it down in a crater. Steelix curled up and leered at its opponent, who was now squirming on the ground under the weight of its tail._

 _Bruno laughed as he crossed his arms across his muscular chest. "What now, Lance? It seems like I've outsmarted you this time! And it only took what, like two years? Let's finish this! Dragonbreath!"_

 _Steelix opened its maw and blasted out a stream of violent draconic energy that seemed like the end for its opponent. However, Lance just smirked and shook his head. "Always the same Bruno. Getting cocky too soon and forgetting the most important thing in battle."_

 _The dragon master's eyes snapped open as he thrust an arm out. "And that is trust! Dragonite, Protect!"_

 _A teal green barrier was formed around the dragon, protecting it from Dragonbreath's power. The draconic energy crashed into the shield and spread out, unable to head for its intended target. Everyone in the stadium gasped but what happened next shocked them to the core._

 _"Now get it off!" Lance exclaimed. Dragonite growled as its arms snagged Steelix's tail in an iron like grip, earning a surprise grunt from the titan. Then, with unreal strength, the dragon shoved with all its might and heaved Steelix off its body, sending the snake careening in the air._

 _"...WHAT?!" Words could not describe Bruno's emotions as he saw his titanic Pokemon crash to the ground, making it shake with power as Dragonite flew back up, seemingly unaffected from its assault._

 _The dragon seemed to be radiating a ton of power still and Lance was not going to let that opportunity go. "Draco Meteor!"_

 _Dragonite roared louder than ever as its body let out a violet glow, a large orange orb forming in its mouth. Bruno could only watch with anticipation as the orb shot into the sky, then blew apart in one large explosion, letting out several smaller orbs that rained down upon the snake._

 _Everyone knew a dragon type attack wouldn't have as much effect on a steel type Pokemon. However, Lance's Dragonite was a different case, especially with the power behind the ultimate dragon attack._

 _Steelix ROARED in utter pain as the meteors crashed down upon its body, each one creating a large explosion that resonated throughout the stadium. Steelix's body lurched with every impact, eventually knocking it over on its side where after another explosion, it didn't get up._

 _The smoke cleared away as Dragonite hovered down on its side of the field, not taking eyes off its downed opponent even once. The whole stadium was silent, thinking if it was already over._

 _Bruno stood in silence for a few seconds before letting out a chuckle. "Wow, I wasn't expecting that kind of power. But knowing you, I'm not too surprised anymore. You really haven't been slacking, Lance."_

 _Lance smiled back. "I could say the same to you. It's been a while since anyone has put me in a heart pounding battle like this. You're just as strong as before, Bruno."_

 _The fighting master nodded back with a proud smile. "Hm. And it's good that you know as well as I do that this battle isn't over. I've still got one more trump card on me."_

 _"It's too soon for this to be over anyway, my friend. And with that, I say bring it out as I am more than ready to face it."_

 _Bruno grinned as Steelix stood back up, earning multiple gasps upon the crowd. "Then so be it. Get ready Lance, this battle is about to be a game changer!"_

 _Bruno lifted his left arm up and pointed at the ring attached to his wrist. A bright light emitted from the ring as he pushed the button, the light forming a rainbow colored symbol or sorts._

 _Lance and everybody watched as Steelix was shrouded in a purple light, its silhouette still visible as its body began to change shape. A loud roar filled the room, shaking the very air around as Bruno shouted out the command._

 _"STEELIX! MEGA EVOLVE!"_

 _The roar seemed to grow louder and louder as the light began to fade away, revealing the current shape of the titanic monst-_

 _FLICK!_

 _The young boy who was so entranced by the battle on the TV in front of him blinked as the screen cut to black immediately. He looked around, realizing the room was now pitch black along with every other light source in the house._

 _The sound of rain pounding on the windows snapped him out of his thoughts and he let out a loud groan of annoyance._

 _"Are you kidding me?! The power has to cut out NOW?! WHY?!"_

 _The boy stood up and grabbed the TV, trying to shake it in an attempt to turn it back on. "Come on, work already! Come on!"_

 _He jumped as thunder boomed from outside, making him step away from the TV and sigh. "Stupid rain. Stupid thunderstorm. Stupid TV. Stupid luck..."._

 _The boy continued to mumble as he grabbed a candle from his desk and pulled out a match, lighting it and providing a small light source in the room. He sighed as he sat down, feeling nothing but the adrenaline from watching that battle. Oh, he so wanted to go back to it._

 _"And just when he was about to Mega Evolve," the boy mumbled. He had never seen the prospect of Mega Evolution as it was still new and recently discovered. The fact that Pokemon of their final stage could reach another form and hold tremendous amount of power piqued his interest to the point of no return._

 _He had always wanted to see a Mega Evolution but could not get the chance as not many people had that power yet. And when he finally got the chance.._

 _"Ash! Dinner's ready!"_

 _The boy jumped at the sound of his name being called, then pulled himself together. "Coming Mom!"_

 _He was about to leave the room when he spotted the toy Poke Ball sitting on his desk. A smile formed on his face as he went over and grabbed the spherical replica and held it high over his head._

 _"Watch out world! The best trainer ever is on the way! I, Ash Ketchum, will be the stronges trainer in the world!"_

 _"ASH! YOUR FOOD IS GETTING COLD!"_

 _Ash jumped and almost dropped the Poke Ball. He sighed and grabbed the small cap on his desk, shoving it onto his head. "The best Pokemon trainer ever, who still has to listen to his mother..."._

- **XXX-**

 _It was a sunny day today and nine year old Ash Ketchum was lying down in the grass at the famous Professor Oak's ranch. He sighed as he stared at the clear blue sky, having one particular thought in his mind._

 _'Man, I can't wait to get my first Pokemon. It sucks that I have to wait another three years instead of next year. Stupid league with their safety policies and blah blah blah,' the boy thought._

 _His attention was suddenly snapped to the Pokemon slowly walking over to him. It stopped and poked its finger at Ash's head. "Char?"_

 _Ash laughed as he sat up. "I'm fine Charmander. Thank you for asking, buddy."_

 _A big smile formed on the lizard's face as he hugged the boy. "Char! Char!"_

 _Ash hugged him back and laughed, scratching the lizard's scales atop its head. Charmander was still a baby Pokemon, having only hatched a week ago. He had been there with this mother and the professor when the egg had hatched and Ash was the first person whom it had seen. Since then, he had taken upon himself to come over everyday and play with Charmander, the decision set that he would want Charmander to be his first Pokemon when he set off on his journey._

 _Of course, this didn't mean he ignored the other Pokemon. Ash got along with every other Pokemon at the professor's ranch no matter how. Even the professor's tough Rhyhorn mixed well with Ash, the boy being too sweet to hurt. It was a trait that even the professor seemed to admire._

 _"Ash is a unique boy," the professor once said. "I can tell he will be a great trainer and accomplish something one day."_

 _It was this particular day that Ash was doing the usual. Playing along with Professor Oak's Pokemon at the ranch along with Charmander. The two were hanging around the grass types in particular, Exeggutor, Tangela, Bellsprout, Weepinbel, and Lombre, who was native to the Hoenn region._

 _The group was doing its usual share of antics: running around and shouting out random things and occasionally tackling each other. Oak's Machop came over joined in on the wrestling, Ash laughing all the way._

 _Soon, Ash was sitting against a tree, Charmander sitting beside him. The two were relaxing and talking with each other like day one when the fire type had hatched._

 _"You're growing up real fast, Charmander," Ash said. "Soon, you'll be a big strong Pokemon on my team when we start our journey. I can't wait!"_

 _"Char! Charmander!" Charmander trilled and hopped around. Ash laughed and the two continued with what they were doing._

 _Eventually, Ash noticed something in the distance, a bright yellow speck. "Hey, what's that?" Sure enough, something yellow was lying next to the small lake in the distance, not moving. It looked like a rat of sorts and it didn't seem to be moving._

 _The two headed over and kneeled down. Indeed it was a rat, a small yellow colored one too. It had tiny red pouches on its cheeks and black fur on some parts of its fur._

 _Pichu._

 _However, the most eye catching part was the blood stains on its fur and its heavy breathing. It looked as if the Pokemon was badly injured and in deep pain. Ash noticed this and pulled out the Potion he had with him. He sprayed it on the wound, flinching at the hiss of pain that sounded from the Pokemon._

 _"Hey there little guy...it's going to be okay. I promise," Ash soothed. The Pichu looked at him with its big brown eyes and nodded slowly. This human was actually caring for it. It certainly felt less pain than before so it decided to let him do his thing._

 _Ash smiled. "Don't worry, you'll be okay. Here, I'll just give you this." He ripped off a portion of his old wool sweater and tied it around the wound. Pichu stared at him in shock as the wound was fully concealed. No one had ever done this to it before._

 _Ash smiled as he stood up, watching Charmander help the Pichu up. The two Pokemon seemed to be in a conversation of sorts. Ash scratched the mouse's fur on its head, earning a soft hum in the process._

 _Pichu looked up at him with gratitude, feeling almost no pain now. This human had helped it out of nowhere. There was nothing but care in his eyes. It would always remember this human. It nodded and began to run off._

 _"Good bye, Pichu," Ash said. Pichu stopped and turned around. It smiled and nodded back, chirping happily before running off. Ash watched it go and smiled, happy to see the Pokemon's smile. "Well Charmander, that was interesting. He seems like an energetic little guy. Hopefully we can meet again one day."_

 _"Char char," Charmander shrugged. That Pichu was nice and all but he was just hungry. Ash noticed the lizard's claws rubbing its stomach and he laughed. "Alright, let's go grab some lunch. My mom's cooking up sandwiches."_

 _Charmander trilled happily. There was nothing like homemade sandwiches made from Ash's mother. The two ran back to the ranch, drooling at the thought of food._

 **-XXX-**

 _It was now night time in Pallet Town. The wild Pokemon had all gone to sleep and those who still lurked around were the few Rattata and the nocturnal species. Of course, this wasn't the case for the two boys who were right now frolicking in the woods away from the summer camp they were staying at._

 _"Are you sure it was a good idea to leave camp and sneak out, Gary?" Ash asked. The boy was now ten years old and was staying over at the summer camp hosted by Professor Oak. While it was fun and all, the professor was strict with the rules and curfew was at nine and anybody who was caught awake would be punished with sitting out of fun activities and forced to study._

 _"Oh come on, Ashy boy! You know how gramps can be sometimes! Nine is too early for me to go to sleep!" Gary Oak, his best friend replied. He kicked a large tree branch to the side and hopped over a stump with the other boy following. "Besides, don't you want to find that mysterious Pokemon by the lake? I thought we both agreed on this!"_

 _"I do, but it's just that..." Ash sighed. "I mean, was it a good idea to leave Leaf behind? She wanted to come too, you know."_

 _"She's staying in the girls' cabins, which are all the way on the other side of the camp. Do you WANT to get caught? Besides, she did say she might not come tonight, so why are you freaking out?"_

 _"I'm not freaking out. I just don't think it's right," Ash mumbled._

 _Gary snorted. "Yeah right. I bet you're just scared."_

 _"I'm NOT scared!"_

 _"Yeah you are."_

 _"No, I'm not!"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"NO!"_

 _"Sure, whatever you say tough guy."_

 _"Shut up."_

 _"No."_

 _"Hmph!" Ash pouted. He then got an idea. "Hey Gary, let's race there! Last one there is the scared one!"_

 _"Wha-HEY!"_

 _Ash had already taken off and now Gary was in hot pursuit. The two boys raced through the thick woods, hopping over stumps and shoving branches and bushes aside. Despite the speed they were going, not one of them looked tired at all. The two had done this numerous times, often racing to determine the winner of an arguement. This was no exeception._

 _Eventually, the two reaches a small clearing with a shimmering lake in the front. Ash had a big smile on his face when he noticed the distance between him and Gary. Yes! He'd won the race! Now Gary would have to shut up and-_

 _"HEY!" Ash shouted as his shirt was suddenly grabbed from behind and tugged back, causing him to trip backwards and land on his butt. Gary took off in front of him and stopped at the front of the lake, touching the water with his hands and shouting victoriously, "I win!"_

 _Ash stood up and dusted himself off, marching to the other boy angrily. "No fair! You cheated!"_

 _Gary glared right back. "Did not. I'm just better than you."_

 _"Yeah right! I was gonna win and then you grabbed me and pushed me to the ground!" Ash hollered back. "You cheated!"_

 _"I didn't cheat! You tripped!"_

 _"How do I trip backwards?! Huh? Tell me!"_

 _"I don't know, cause maybe it's you?!"_

 _"No, you cheated! That's why!"_

 _"Did not!"_

 _"Did too!"_

 _"Not!"_

 _"Too!"_

 _"Shut up!"_

 _"No!"_

 _"Why you-" Gary suddenly lunged at Ash and shoved him to the ground. Ash let out a surprised cry as he fell on his rear, not expecting the sudden movement. Gary barked out a laugh as Ash glared at him. "Not THAT was funny! You screamed like a little girl!"_

 _Ash growled as he stood back up. "Oh yeah? Well take THIS!"_

 _"Huh-" Gary was suddenly tackled to the ground, letting out his own surprised yelp. The two boys began to furiously wrestle in the grass, determined to overpower each other._

 _They let out grunts and cries as they grappled one another, throwing each other on the ground and pinning the other on top occasionally. Usually, an adult would be around to stop one of their fights but with only the two of them hear, this could go on for hours._

 _That is, until the light appeared._

 _The two boys instantly stopped fighting and looked up, still holding onto the collar of each others shirts. What entranced them was the rainbow light in the night sky, glowing radiantally over the lake. The lake also had a reflection of the light, emitting a beautiful light show._

 _"Wow..." Ash breathed._

 _"What the..." Gary gasped._

 _In the sky, just in the rainbow light, the silhouette of a large bird like creature could be seen flying through. Its wings seemed to have a majestic feeling as they calmly flapped, letting out a magnificent and soothing breeze that filled the air. It truly was a sight to behold._

 _However, just like that, it was gone. The rainbow light at once disappeared and the two boys blinked at the empty sky again. No words were exchanged, for the boys were in utter silence. Finally, one of them spoke up._

 _"...Dude, you were totally scared."_

 _"No I wasn't, Gary! You were!"_

 **-XXX-**

 _The young blonde girl looked around nervously as she walked through the dense forest, seemingly aimlessly. It didn't help that she was lost and had no way back to the camp. Oh, if only she had made friends as promised!_

 _The sound of a twig snapping made her jump in fright._

 _"H-hello? Anybody here?" she asked in a timid voice. The girl wasn't used to this. Having moved to Kanto only a month ago from Kalos was hard enough, but to meet all this people and this unfamiliar environment was utterly terrifying._

 _The twig snapped again and the girl peered at the bush where the noise came from. "H-hello? I-is anybody there? A-anyone?"_

 _Now she was getting scared. She had heard those scary campfire stories of Pokemon in the deep part of the woods dragging kids away and never coming back. She now really wished she was with her mother. At least she could be in her arms of comfort..._

 _A figure then jumped out of the bush, making the girl scream in surprise and stumble back. Unfortunately, she had stumbled into a small stump, causing her to trip backwards._

 _"OW!" the girl exclaimed. She had landed on her knee and could feel the pain already. The girl looked at her injury and whimpered when she saw the small cut with blood slowly pooling out._

 _"Poli?" The girl nearly jumped and turned around, seeing the smal blue tadpole Pokemon staring back with big, curious eyes. It was a cute sight but the girl scooted back. "S-stay away! P-please!"_

 _The Pokemon did not budge, instead letting out another curious "Poli?" It tilted its head to the side. The girl felt tears brim in her eyes and buried her face into her arms. "M-mom!"_

 _A rustle in a nearby bush catched the two's attention. Suddenly, a boy stumbled out and clumsily landed on his stomach._

 _"Oof! Ow...". Ash got up and looked at the bush, glaring daggers at it. "Stupid little branch...stupid Gary and Leaf, leaving me behind to find that egg..."_

 _He then looked around, hearing a sniffle and spotted the teary eyed blonde haired girl sitting a few feet away, looking curiously at him. "Huh? Are you okay?"_

 _"Poli?" He jumped and turned around, his face breaking into a wide smile. "Hey, a Poliwag! Cool!"_

 _The girl watched with surprised eyes as the boy went over and pet the Poliwag on the head, making the Pokemon smile in comfort. "Aren't you a cure little guy. What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in the water habitat?"_

 _"Poli!" Poliwag trilled and jumped into a bush. Ash blinked, then let out a chuckle. He then turned to the girl and concern grew on his face. "Hey, are you okay?"_

 _The girl didn't answer for a moment, sniffing and holding her injured knee. "N-no...please help me. I w-want to go h-home..."_

 _"Hey, it's okay," Ash said as he walked over. The girl flinched as he knelt down and looked at her cut knee. "Oh, is that it? Come on, you can't let this little thing beat you down! You have to be strong!"_

 _The girl was mildly surprised by his reaction and watched as he pulled out a cloth. "Here you go. This will help." He tied the cloth around her knee and stood back with a proud smile. "How's that?"_

 _The girl tried to stand up but a stinging pain made her almost fall, if it weren't for Ash catching her arm at the last second. "I-it hurts..."_

 _"It'll get better in a while. Come on, I'll help you." The girl nodded and slowly stood back up with Ash assisting her. "That's it! Try to walk now."_

 _The girl hesitated for a second, afraif of the pain that was too come. She hissed a little when she moved her leg but then found out that it didn't hurt as much anymore. She slowly took more steps and eventually, she could barely even feel the pain. A smile formed on her face as Ash grinned. "You got it! See, I told you so!"_

 _"Thank you," the girl nodded. Ash smiled back. "It's no biggie! Let's go back to the camp! I don't care about this scavenger hunt anymore. Gary and Leaf can rub it in all they want."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Oh, my friends. You should meet them. You'll get along with them, they're really nice. Well, Leaf is. Gary might tease you a bit, so be sure to act tough around him and not cry otherwise he'll rub it in your face."_

 _The girl was hesitant, but nodded. "Okay." If this boy was already nice, then his friends must be as well. Well, it was about time she started making friends._

 _"By the way, I'm Ash. What's your name?"_

 _The girl looked at him and smiled. "Serena."_

 **-XXX-**

 _"Charmander, use Scratch!"_

 _"Char char!" Charmander lunged at the enemy Rattata and slashed it painfully against the side, earning a shout of pain from the mouse._

 _Ash watched carefully as the Rattata crouched down and lunged at Charmander, nailing it with a Quick Attack. The mouse then opened up its maw and its teeth glowed white, the Super Fang about to chomp down._

 _Ash saw the chance and took it. "Ember!"_

 _The lizard's eyes snapped open and it spat out a small ball of fire that struck Rattata's mouth, snapping it close immediately and causing the mouse to screech in pain. "Now finish it with another Ember!"_

 _Charmander lunged at Rattata and smacked it away, then spat out another flame that put an end to the mouse. Rattata slumped down unconscious and Ash and Charmander happily shouted and high fived each other._

 _"Good job Charmander!"_

 _"Char!"_

 _Ash turned around, hearing the clapping behind him. Professor Oak stood with a proud smile on his face along with Ash's mother, Delia. "Well done, my boy. You are getting better at this like the others. Soon, you'll be a great trainer and Charmander will definitely be a strong Pokemon."_

 _Ash and Charmander grinned. "Thanks Professor Oak, but it's all Charmander. He's the one doing the fighting, not me."_

 _"Char," Charmander grinned, attempting to flex his muscles. Delia giggled and Oak smiled. "Ah yes, you two have an incredible bond I see. However, it is not only one of you who is doing the work, but rather the both of you. Trust on both sides is very important and you two seem to fully trust each other."_

 _"Obviously," Ash grinned, glancing at the fire type, who was busy scratching its tail. "I was there when Charmander hatched and he's been my best friend this whole time! I trust him everytimen and I can say the same for him, right buddy?"_

 _"Char!" Charmander gave an affirmative nod._

 _Oak laughed. "Well, I'll leave you two to keep training. Remember, don't overdo it and take a break once in a while."_

 _"Lunch is almost done by the way," Delia said. She giggled at the looks she got. "I think you'll love today's special."_

 _"Oooh, what is it?" Ash asked. "Is it your special pizza omelette? Or your spicy sour cream burritos?"_

 _"It's a surprise," Delia said. "And you'll find out after you're done with training and once lunch is ready."_

 _Ash and Charmander sighed but brightened up immediately. "O-kay! Let's go Charmander! Let's ask another one of Professor's Pokemon to battle! Then we can sit back and have some nice grub!"_

 _"Char! Char Char!" Charmander happily hopped. The two ran off as Delia watched with a smile._

 **-XXX-**

 _"OW!"_

 _Ash's scream cut through the morning sky, sending several Pidgey flying. It was certainly an unusual way to start the morning but it had been done. As for the boy himself..._

 _"Agh, why did I do that?" Ash pulled himself to his feet. He felt a stinging pain on his arms and legs and winced, tears forming in his eyes. He looked at his blood stained arms and legs and saw the open cuts on his body. He was sure he even cut his cheeks a bit from that fall._

 _Of course, the fall. Ash had been playing tag and was running, not seeing the gap between the rocky cliff. Though it wasn't too much of a drop, the ground below was solid with multiple rocks. And Ash had basically belly flopped onto them._

 _"Ow..." he whimpered, touching his cheeks. They stung hard and he could feel blood on them as well. He sniffed and leaned back against the rock, waiting for the pain to subside._

 _'Man, this blows! I never got THIS hurt in my life and now look at me...'_

 _Ash winced again, touching his cheeks. He could feel a distinct Z shape on either side of them. 'And what the heck is this?! Man, Mom's gonna kill me!'_

 _Suddenly, a hand was extended from the side. "Get up."_

 _Ash looked over and his mood instantly brightened. "Big bro!" He winced and felt tears in his eyes. He had tried to hug his brother and couldn't. Of course and now he looked like a wimp in front of the one person he looked up to._

 _His brother didn't care though. The kind smile on his face seemed to heal Ash's mood as he grabbed his hand and helped him up. "Holy crap, you really did it this time Ash. What happened?"_

 _Ash pointed at the gap above. "I fell through...and now it hurts!" He sniffed, trying to hide the tears but his brother had already noticed._

 _"Hey," his brother kneeled down. He was significantly taller than Ash, being three years older than him after all. His short red hair shined as he smiled at Ash. "Whatever you do, don't cry. That makes it worse. Don't let this kind of stuff beat you down."_

 _"That's what I always say," Ash mumbled. His brother placed his hands on his shoulders. "Look man, who are you? The real Ash wouldn't sit here and cry. He would not back down and smile the whole time. Come on, show me that smile."_

 _Ash's mouth twitched and a slight smile formed on his face. His brother grinned. "Come on now, don't hide it from me. You gonna do your bro like that?"_

 _Ash laughed. "Oh come on Silv! That's not fair!" He winced again. "It really hurts though..."_

 _"Yeah I can tell," his brother said, looking him over. "Especially with those Z things on your cheeks. What the heck are those anyway?"_

 _"I dunno, I just found out too. Must've happened when I fell and cut myself."_

 _"Yeah, well we need to get you cleaned up," his brother laughed. "Mom's not gonna like this one bit. She'll ground you again."_

 _"Yeah," Ash shuddered. That would be much worse. He would rather break his bones than feel his mother's wrath that was rumored to have even Professor Oak on the ropes._

 _"Come on, let's go," his brother said. "Last one there is a Slowbro!"_

 _"Hey!" Ash shouted and took off in a slow jog due to his injury. The two brothers laughed as they raced back home, not giving a care in the world._

 **-XXX-**

 _Ash stared at the ceiling with glumness. He sighed, shutting his ears off to avoid hearing the arguement going on downstairs. His mother and father were at it again, the two screaming and shouting nonstop. They had been at each other's throats so long that Ash had lost track of the time._

 _And all because of his dad's training methods. His father wasn't exactly the most caring and would usually be away from home, barely spending time with his family. And as such, he would often be disgusted with how slow progress was._

 _"You need to learn how to suffer. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion," his father would always say. His excuse. Apparently, Ash wasn't good enough for him and decided to take it upon himself to "toughen" him up. His father had already given up on Ash's brother, but continued to torture Ash with his agressive training._

 _Such training included running from his father's Rhyhorn, lifting heavy material that Machamp would use for their warm up exercises, or even having to dodge his Nidoking's constant Stone Edge attacks._

 _Yes it was very painful and excrutiating for Ash and that's why his mother would step in and defend him but to no avail. His father was just not someone you could easily convince and today was no exception._

 _However, today was the worst of all._

 _"You're abusing him!" Delia's voice could be heard downstairs. "You're treating him like he's a criminal! Don't you care about him at all?"_

 _"Don't talk to me like you know how to do things right!" his father retorted. "You're the one who has spoiled him to no end and made him weak! I'm trying to help him by making him go through all this so he's ready for the outside world! Don't act like you know what you're doing and don't question me ever again!"_

 _"I'm sick and tired of this! He's your SON for Arceus' sake! Don't you care about him at all?!"_

 _"That little weakling is no son of mine," his father coldly said. Ash felt a pang of sadness well up inside at those words. "and he will never be if he doesn't grow up!"_

 _"You're disgusting, you know that? I'm starting to regret ever bringing you into my life! You're nothing but a monster! A FUCKING MONSTER!"_

 _"SHUT UP!" SLAP!_

 _Ash winced at the loud noise and held his breath. These arguements never got out of hand like this..._

 _He slowly crawled out of his bed and opened the door. His brother's room was locked shut, Ash knowing he couldn't handle this. The boy crept down the hallway and peered downstairs, seeing his crying mother resting a hand on her cheek._

 _His father had a stone cold face on, not fazed by the state of his wife. "I'm done. If my family refuses to work hard and not take risks, then I don't want to be a part of this family at all. You can keep your weakling sons, Delia. But from now on, you and them mean NOTHING to me. Goodbye."_

 _And with that, his father walked out the door, leaving a sobbing Delia and a heartbroken Ash behind. Never had it gotten this far out of hand. Their family was literally torn apart and there was nothing they could do._

 _Ash wiped the tears from his eyes and ran back to his room, slamming it shut and burying his face into the pillow, letting out sobs of his own. He stayed like that for an hour or so when he finally turned around, glaring at the ceiling._

 _"I'll show him...I'll show him who's weak...one day..."_

 **-XXX-**

 _*Two years later*_  
 _-_ **Pallet Town-**

The bright morning sky was filled with the sound of chirping Pidgeys. It was a great day outside. Families were out picknicking, kids playing, Pokemon sitting back and relaxing. Just perfect.

Delia was certainly enjoying the day. She hummed a soft tune as she prepared breakfast, which was really just a large amount of pancakes. She would have some of them but the rest were for her son, who had a knack of eating food.

A smile crept on her face. Today was a special occassion after all. The day where her son would leave. It was a sad thought indeed and Delia really didn't want it. She would miss him greatly as it was the only family she had left. Maybe she could convince him to stay...

"No," Delia shook her head. "I can't do that. This is my baby boy's dream and I'm not about to stop him. He's been wanting this his whole life." Still, the house would feel empty without him.

Delia sighed. "ASH, BREAKFAST IS READY!"

There was a loud thump, then the sound of rapid footsteps barreling down the stairs. Delia smiled as her son stumbled into the kitchen, half dressed. He had his shirt and pants on but he was holding his vest and cap in his hands. He still didn't have his shoes on though.

"I'm here!" Ash exclaimed. He looked around and sniffed the air. "Man, pancakes for breakfast. Mom, you really outdid yourself."

"Oh hush," Delia said as she took a seat. "You need to hurry up and get to the lab. You can finally receive your Pokemon after all."

Ash nodded, putting on the remainder of his clothes. "Yeah, I can't wait. Charmander must be excited for this!"

"He has adapted to the environment and is battle ready," Delia said, handing him his plate. "And it's all because of you."

"Heh," Ash rubbed his hands at the delicious breakfast in front of him. He didn't waste time digging in.

Delia watched her son devour his plate of pancakes with a sad smile on her face. She would definitely miss his antics. The house would be empty for a long time and nothing would fill in her son's place.

Soon enough, the two were done with their breakfast and were headed to the lab. Delia had said she would want to be their when her son got his Pokemon and Ash couldn't agree more. He couldn't wait to reunite with Charmander. In fact, that was all the two were talking about on their way there. Well, alongside Delia's lecture on travelling safely.

They then found themselves approaching the big white building in the distance on top of the hill. Windmills spun and Pidgey flew around, giving the place a sort of majestic look.

Ash's face brightened up upon seeing the two faces standing outside the lab. One was a boy with spiky hair and a long sleeved purple shirt and black pants. The other was a girl in a light blue tank top and a red skirt, a big white hat finishing her appearance.

The two of them seemed to be in a conversation when they saw Ash and Delia approaching.

"Hey guys!" Ash exclaimed. He stopped in front of the two, smiling. "Today's the day, huh?"

"You got that right, Ashy boy," the spiky haired boy replied. He crossed his arms and smirked. "We can finally see who the better trainer will be."

"Seriously Gary? We haven't even gotten our Pokemon and you're already gloating?" the girl said before turning to Ash with a friendly smile. "And yeah, today is the big day. I don't know about you guys, but I'm nothing but excited!"

"Same here, Leaf!" Ash nodded. "You guys know what Pokemon you want to get?"

"Squirtle, hands down," Gary replied. "Oh, and good morning Ms. Ketchum."

"Yeah good morning Ms. Ketchum," Leaf added. "And Bulbasaur's my choice."

Delia giggled. "Good morning, you two. It's kind of funny to hear your choices. They suit you all perfectly!"

Ash and Leaf grinned and nodded while Gary laughed. "You got that right, Ms. Ketchum! I'm telling you, Squirtle's gonna be the coolest Pokemon ever!"

"Yeah, well Squirtle will just evolve into a turtle with cannons," Ash muttered. "Charmander can evolve into a fearsome dragon like Charizard!"

"Charizard aren't even dragon types, Ash," Gary sneered.

"I know that, but they look similar!" Ash shot back.

Before another fight can escalate, Leaf wrapped her arms around the two boys' necks and smirked. "Look at you two, already fighting like kids again. Save the fighting for when we get our Pokemon and battle, at least."

Delia nodded. "She has a point. Use that energy when you're battling so that way you can be in control."

Ash and Gary just grumbled and nodded, the two giving each other glares that spelled "this isn't over."

Suddenly, the door opened and an elderly man in a lab coat appeared in front of the group, leaning against the doorway, seemingly out of breath. "Hello, hello. Sorry for the long wait, I just had to finish setting things up!"

"About time, gramps!" Gary exclaimed. "You could have just had me come over and help, y'know?"

"Sorry Gary, but I said the lab was strictly off limits until I gave you your Pokemon," Oak said, looking at the three kids in front of him. "After all, don't want to ruin the surprise!"

Gary rolled his eyes. "What surprise? Gramps, you know we've SEEN our Pokemon already. There's no surprise!" The other three in the group just watched, casually waiting for the discussion to be over.

Oak shook his head. "That's not all. There's something else you three are bringing with you on your journey. Come on in." With that being said, the elderly man left the door open and headed inside, leaving everyone else to look at each other in confusion.

"Well, he did say it was a surprise," Delia shrugged. Ash gave his mother a suspicious look. "Mom, you KNOW what he's talking about, don't you?"

"Maybe. You'll just have to see for yourselves." She then proceeded to head inside as well, leaving the three kids to stare in silence.

Leaf was the one who spoke up. "Shall we go in?" The two boys shrugged and followed her in.

The lab wasn't too different from when the three last saw it. It was still very spacious, with alot of machines and workers roaming around. Gary muttered how much of a surprise this was as they headed into the large room, where the professor had specifically called them.

It was a small room with a few computers, machines, and a big circular table in the middle that held two Poke Balls. The three stood besides Delia as Oak went over to the Poke Balls and grabbed them before making his way back to the group and holding them out.

"Gary, Leaf, here are your Pokemon. Squirtle and Bulbasaur are in each of these respectively," Oak said.

The two took their Poke Balls and stared at them with excitement. Oak nodded with a smile. "You can open them and meet your starters if you'd like."

"Hell yeah!" Gary exclaimed, tossing the ball up in the air and releasing the Pokemon in a white light.

 _"Squir!"_ the blue turtle exclaimed as it stood with its arms crossed. Squirtle blinked as it looked around before its eyes landed on Gary, who was holding its Poke Ball.

Gary smirked. "Yo Squirtle, guess what? I'm your new trainer now. I'm looking for the best of the best to be on my team and you're my first one. Whaddaya say? Wanna be the leader on the strongest Pokemon trainer's team?"

Squirtle didn't even think, instead sporting a similar smirk like Gary and nodding. Gary grinned back. "Heh, awesome!"

Ash and Leaf had to roll their eyes at that. It was just as Delia said, like trainer, like Pokemon.

"My turn!" Leaf exclaimed, bringing out her Pokemon next. From the white light emerged a small dinosaur sprouting a bulb on its back. The Pokemon yawned, then looked around. It's eyes landed on Oak and it hissed, gaining a nasty look on its face.

Oak awkwardly laughed. "Ah yes, Bulbasaur is one of the few Pokemon who DOESN'T like me. How could I forget."

Leaf kneeled down and smiled, getting Bulbasaur's attention. "Hey Bulbasaur, I'm Leaf. I'm going to be your new trainer from now and together, we can be the best team yet. We can even destroy Gary on the way too. What do you say?"

"Very funny, Leaf!" Gary exclaimed with a roll of his eyes, Squirtle mimicking his trainer.

Leaf ignored them and kept looking at Bulbasaur with her hand outstretched. Bulbasaur seemed to ponder for a moment before deciding she seemed nice enough and nodded, extending a vine to shake with her hand. Leaf giggled at this, earning a smile from Bulbasaur. "We're gonna be a great team!"

 _"Bulba!"_ came the proud reply.

Ash then noticed he was the only one without a Pokemon. "Hey Professor, where's Charmander? I thought you said you were saving him for me?"

Oak then lost the smile he was wearing a sighed sadly, making Ash's heart beat faster in tension. "Ah yes, Charmander. I was saving him for you Ash because I know how much you two wanted to go on the journey together but..."

"But what?!" Ash demanded. He was starting to get worried. If anything happened to Charmander, he would never forgive himself.

Delia had an equal amount of concern on her face like Gary and Leaf as she stared at Oak. "But what, Samuel? You know what you promised."

"I know! I did promise and I was going to keep it!" Oak frantically said, waving his arms. He sighed and looked at Ash sadly. How was he going to tell him? The news would scar him. "Look, the thing is..."

"Professor, just tell me," Ash said calmly. "I'm not going to be mad at you or anything. I'll understand."

Oak nodded. "Well, here's what happened. It was just yesterday actually. I was preparing the lab and setting up the Pokemon and equipment as usual when I received a phone call saying one of the league representatives wanted to meet me. He came over along with his son saying he needed a starter Pokemon. I tried to tell them that three trainers were already reserved for them and that he would have to wait until next year, but he just wouldn't listen and threatened to shut down the lab if his son didn't get the Pokemon. His son was just was persistent and demanded the Charmander you wanted. I tried to stop them but without the lab and all..."

Oak had trailed off when he noticed Ash's grim expression. "Ash?"

"So...some big shot from the league basically stole my Pokemon. Wow." Ash stared at the floor, not moving. He couldn't believe this. Of all the things that could go wrong, THIS happened?

"Believe me my boy, I would've given up the lab if I didn't need it for my financial situation," Oak said. "I am deeply sorry Ash."

"It's alright," Ash said with a sad smile. "You did what you could, Professor. Thanks anyway."

The others looked at him sadly. Gary stepped up and placed a hand on his friends shoulder. "Hey, if you want we can wait till next year. I don't really mind."

"Same here," Leaf said, walking up to him. "My parents will understand. I don't mind waiting if it means we can all three leave together."

Ash shook his head. "It's not like that. I really wanted THIS Charmander. He's like a brother to me. We both wanted to go on this journey together and some other Charmander won't be the same. You guys go, I don't want to stop you and make you wait."

Leaf looked ready to argue but Gary stopped her and nodded solemnly at Ash. "Sorry man..."

"Hey, it's cool," Ash said with a smile. "You guys go on. I'd feel worse if I took this opportunity away from you."

Gary and Leaf sadly nodded and Leaf muttered, "it won't be the same." Delia sighed and hugged her son. "Oh, my baby boy! I am so sorry, Ash."

Ash nodded and embraced his mother. He then pulled away and sighed. "Well, it looks like I'm gonna have to wait until next year. Until then, so long guys. Hopefully we can meet again next year."

Oak watched the boy with a sad smile. He _hated t_ o do this but then again, what could he do? He had tried to save Charmander but it was no use. Without the lab, his family wouldn't have enough money to support themselves and he couldn't do that.

He suddenly had an idea. _'But can he handle that Pokemon? I can't even handle it myself, how can he do it?'_

But then another part of his mind spoke up. _'He's Ash. If anyone can make friends with this Pokemon, it's him! Oh well, it's worth a try.'_ "W-wait!"

Ash and Delia stopped walking and Oak hurriedly scrambled to his desk and grabbed the lone Poke Ball sitting by the side. Ash noticed the lightning bolt symbol on the button and couldn't help but wonder.

Oak walked up to him and held out the Poke Ball. "Inside, there is another Pokemon. It is not one of the starters but hopefully it can do. Although I warn you, this little guy is very rebellious and has causing me so much trouble lately. It's a miracle I even got it in its Poke Ball."

Ash stared at the ball for a second before nodding and taking it. "Let's see." He might as well give it a go. If he could start his journey now, he was all for it. Besides, he wasn't one to judge a Pokemon. It wouldn't be the same without Charmander, but it would do. He released the Pokemon and when the white light cleared away, a yellow mouse stood in its place.

Ash's eyes widened at the Pikachu standing in front of him. The mouse was currently looking around curiously before realizing where it was and turned around to let out a growl at the professor.

Oak uneasily took a step back. "Erm, this one hates me even more than Bulbasaur! Ash, you do you and introduce yourself while I go grab the remaining supplies!" With that, the elderly man took off inside.

Pikachu snarled at his retreating form, but then turned around when he heard a footstep. Ash had kneeled down and was smiling at him. "Hey Pikachu. I'm Ash and I'm just starting my journey today. I want to ask you if you want to join my and be my first Pokemon. My dream is to become a Pokemon master and we can be a great team. So, what do you say?"

Pikachu just stared at him. This kid looked familiar. Had it meant him before? Whatever, it didn't matter. He was a _human_ and that's all that mattered.

With a low growl, Pikachu let out a Thundershock that eletrocuted Ash and made him squeal comically. Everyone else winced as Ash coughed a little and shook his head.

"Wow, okay. That's something I'm going to have to get used to." He looked at Pikachu, who was now backing away from his outstretched hand.

Ash got the message immediately. "I get it. No touching, right?"

Pikachu slightly nodded. He was still weary of this trainer and was waiting for him to bring him back inside that blasted Poke Ball. To his surprise, Ash just stood up and smiled.

"Well, alright then. No touching. Got it. Anything else?"

Pikachu was mildly surprised that he was given the chance to list his preferences like this, but still remained on guard. This human could be fooling him for all he knew. Still, Pikachu had an idea of what he wanted.

 _"Pi pika chu,"_ the mouse said, pointing at the Poke Ball. Ash looked at it, then back at Pikachu before understanding. "You don't want to be in the Poke Ball?" He received an affirmative nod. "Alright then. I'm cool with that."

"Dude, are you crazy?!" Gary exclaimed, Pikachu glaring at him. "It just electrocuted you for Arceus' sake and you're keeping it out of a Poke Ball?"

Pikachu scowled. He was just a second away from blasting this kid now. To his surprise though, Ash shook his head. "Nah Gary. I'm not going to force it to do something it doesn't like. You know I don't roll like that."

Huh. That was new. Pikachu stared in surprise as Gary reluctantly backed off and nodded. "Well...alright then. I trust you. Just be careful with that."

Ash nodded, then turned back at Pikachu. "Alright, so no touching and no Poke Ball. Got it. Is there anything else I should know?"

Pikachu thought for a second before shrugging. Ash nodded. "Alright then. So, you want to come with me? I'm not asking you to be my Pokemon right now but give me a chance at least?"

Pikachu thought about that. He could live with this. This boy seemed nice enough and it would only be fair if he gave him a chance. Still, he wasn't taking any risks.

 _"Pi!"_ Pikachu glared at him, then pointed to the door. He was going first and if there was any funny business, he wouldn't hesitate to send this kid to the hospital.

Ash nodded with a smile. "Thanks Pikachu. I promise the two of us will be great friends." Friends. He never had one before. The thought was nice but first he had to see. Pikachu nodded and Ash pointed to Delia. "That's my mom by the way and those are my friends."

Pikachu looked them over and nodded, then flinched as Delia came over fearlessly. Ash's eyes widened and he and his friends watched as Delia calmly kneeled down and reached over.

To Ash's shock, Delia's hand met soft fur and she began to rub the mouse's head, earning a soft growl. "You're a cutie, aren't you? Don't worry, my Ashy won't ever hurt you. He cares for Pokemon more than his life."

Pikachu was definitely interested now. By the information he was receiving, it looked like this Ash kid wasn't so bad. Who knows, this might not be that bad? After all, his mother was good at rubbing that good spot.

Pikachu nodded and walked up to Ash, nodding at him. Ash smiled and nodded back. "Thanks for giving me a chance Pikachu. The two of us are going to be best friends!"

Gary and Leaf just watched with shock. They knew Ash was good at making friends with the most agressive Pokemon but to actually tame someone like this?

"This is so sweet," Leaf smiled.

"This is so weird," Gary shook his head.

Professor Oak then came back, carrying three red box like devices in his hands. "And here are your surprises! Ash, Gary, Leaf, I introduce you to the Pokedex! With this device, you can scan Pokemon and find alot of interesting facts about them. Their locations, their descriptions, and even scanning your own Pokemon's moves! Believe me, this will be of huge help on your journey! Be sure to record any data on any Pokemon you find!"

He handed out the devices and the three were in absolute shock. "Whoa, this is amazing! Thanks Professor!" Ash exclaimed.

"Cool. It's like a full on encyclopedia!" Leaf said. "This is going to be so much fun using it. Can you scan other trainer's Pokemon too?"

"No. It's against the law and simply not fair," Oak said. "But it also takes away the point. I feel this enough, yes?"

"Hell yeah! This is awesome, gramps! You really outdid yourself!" Gary exclaimed. "Let me see Squirtle's moves real quick."

Everyone watched as Gary read out the details. "Male...ability is Torrent...ah here are the moves! Let's see...we've got Tackle and Withdraw! Pfft! Um...Water Gun and Bubblebeam. Not bad for a beginning Pokemon. Oh, and it says your egg move is Aura Sphere! Holy crap, you are strong Squirtle!"

 _"Squir squirtle!"_ Squirtle smirked and flexed his muscles. He knew he was strong from the very beginning. He didn't even have to prove to his trainer too.

"My turn!" Ash exclaimed. He lifted the Pokedex up and scanned a hesitant Pikachu, Ash giving it a look saying nothing was going to happen.

 _Pikachu: Male_  
 _Ability: Static, Lighning Rod (Hidden)_  
 _Description: It's in its nature to store electricity. It feels stressed now and then if its unable to fully discharge the electricity._  
 _Moves: Thundershock, Tail Whip, Tackle, Quick Attack._  
 _This Pikachu has the egg move Disarming Voice but it has not yet been unlocked._

Ash shut the device off and whistled. "Damn Pikachu, those are some nice moves to start off with. Disarming Voice as an egg move? That's cool."

Pikachu shrugged and Ash thought he saw a slight smile on the mouse's face. Okay, so progress was being made.

"Yep, it says here Bulbasaur is male and along with Tackle and Growl, he knows Vine Ship and Absorb. His egg move is Magical Leaf. That's pretty good."

Bulbasaur proudly nodded. Oak looked at the three trainers and sighed. "Look at you three, all grown up and ready to take on the world. Just remember to give us a call every once in a while and be sure to use your knowledge you've learned in class. Take care of your Pokemon and have trust in them. That is the most important aspect of a trainer."

"Yes, professor," all three responded. Oak nodded. "Good. And remember to stay safe and not be reckless. The world isn't all sunshines and butterflies so be careful."

"Don't worry professor," Leaf said. "I'll make sure these two goofballs stay out of trouble."

"I could say the same to you," Gary countered.

"Yeah, we aren't that bad," Ash mumbled, then looked at Oak. "Got it. We'll keep in touch."

Oak nodded. Delia stood besides Oak and smiled. "Please be careful, Ash. Call me everyday, okay? That goes to you two too."

"Yes ma'am," Gary nodded.

"Gotcha," Leaf said. The three looked at each other and nodded, ready to start these eventful journey. Gary and Leaf returned their Pokemon while Ash looked at Pikachu and nodded, leaving the mouse surprised and satisfied.

Delia went over and hugged her son, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'll miss you, Ash. Stay safe."

"You too mom," Ash nodded.

Gary looked at Oak and nodded albeit sadly. "Well this is it gramps. I'll be sure to call you everyday and even visit sis."

"Yes, tell Daisy I said hi," Oak nodded with a smile. "Good luck Gary. And good luck to you two."

Ash and Leaf nodded, the latter saying she would go say bye to her family as well.

 **-XXX-**

A heartfelt goodbye later, the three were standing on the outskirts of Pallet Town.

"Well, this is it," Gary said with his hands in his pockets. He looked off in the distance with a smile. "Our dream begins today."

"Yeah," Ash nodded. Pikachu was standing by his feet, interested in the grass. "The day we've been waiting for our whole lives. I'm gonna miss Pallet."

Leaf nodded. "Yeah. Same here."

The three looked back at the town sadly, knowing it would be a while before they came back. The stood in silence for a few minutes before Gary spoke up again.

"Alright, I'm out. See you guys later," Gary said.

"Same here," Ash nodded and walked up. The two exchanged a brotherly handshake before Leaf went over and hugged him and Ash.

"I'll miss you guys," she said. "We'll meet on the road and hopefully, the league."

"Not hopefully. We will," Ash said. Gary nodded. "You got that right Ashy boy. Alright then, don't start slacking. I still need to beat you guys and become a champion. Smell ya later!"

With that said, Gary walked off with a last wave. Ash and Leaf watched him go before the former turned to the girl with confusion. "Smell ya later? Just what the hell does that even mean?!"

Leaf sighed. "Seven years and we still haven't figured it out. Alright well, see you soon Ash. It's great we all got to start together as promised."

Ash nodded. "Yeah. This is going to be fun." The two exchanged a last hug and even a goodbye to Pikachu before Leaf left.

Soon, it was just Ash and Pikachu walking down the dirt path. Ash smiled and looked down at his starter. Sure, he wasn't Charmander but he was still a Pokemon and Ash was going to treat him as a friend.

"Ready for this Pikachu?" Ash asked. Said mouse looked at him curiously. "We're going to be the best. Watch out Kanto! Ash Ketchum is on his way!"

...  
-End of Chapter-


	3. 02-The First Step

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Pokemon.**

 **Here's the next chapter! I made Ash and Misty's meeting a whole lot different because...well, I can. Say goodbye to the traditional bike and hello original content! Not much else to say except thank you guys for the last chapter! The reception I received was great and keep reviewing like that to tell me how this is and how I can improve. Also, like I said I answer your questions as well so feel free to ask. Other than that, hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **stando98: This looks really great so far! Kinda mad about the charmander but I'm sure the plan you have for it is going to be great.**

 **-Glad to see you're enjoying it so far! As for Charmander, his fate will be revealed VERY soon, so don't worry about that.**

 **Stormfly1124: man I feel sorry for ash will they meet again will chamanmber find ash and run away from that kid that took him**

 **-You'll just have to see :)**

 **SilentSniper05: Well then, that was interesting, pokemon, charmander, im guessing it will be the charmander he finds from that guy...can not remember his name right now, oh well. Great start with a massive update. Cya soon.**

 **-Thanks! As for Charmander, as I said above you'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Triumphant**

-Chapter 2: The First Step-

 **Ash's Team**

 **Pikachu(Male)**

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts/Flashbacks_

 **Poke** _ **/speech**_

 **-XXX-**

 **-Route 01-**

Ash beamed at the bright sky and looked off in the distance. Today was a very good day to start off his journey. It was perfect weather for outdoor activities. And Ash had been living the outdoor life for the past hour now.

"Let's see, so our first destination is Viridian City," Ash said, glancing at the map. "That's not too far. Maybe an hour and a half away from where we are. Eh, we can make it."

Pikachu half heartedly shrugged. He didn't care about what was going on as long as the human kept his promise. For some reason though, Pikachu had an uneasy feeling he knew this kid from somewhere. But where exactly...

"So Pikachu, how are you feeling about this?" Ash questioned. "Are you excited to go on this journey?"

Pikachu merely glared at him and looked away, not interested. Just because he had given him a chance didn't mean he would actually start talking and making friends with this kid.

Ash's face drooped, knowing what was happening. He sighed and looked back ahead. Oh well. There was no point in trying to start a conversation. He decided to focus instead at the direction he was going.

Pikachu looked back at him with a feeling of triumph. Good, at least he would be left alone.

The two continued to walk in silence until something caught Ash's eye. "Oh look! A Pidgey!"

Pikachu looked at where Ash's gaze was and indeed, standing a few feet away and pecking at the grass was the bird whose named had been called. The Pidgey didn't seem to be paying attention and continued with whatever it was doing.

Ash thought it was the perfect opportunity. "Pikachu, Thundershock!"

Pikachu's typing was perfect here. Electric type attacks would be super effective against flying types like Pidgey and do tremendous amount of damage. Hell, this one attack could weaken the Pidgey and let Ash catch it with ease in one smooth throw.

That is, IF Pikachu attacked. The mouse had heard the order alright, but hadn't responded to it. Instead, he just sat there and stared at the Pidgey with boredom in its eyes.

Ash blinked. "Um, Pikachu? Thundershock, please?"

Pikachu's eyes glinted and he turned to face Ash with a smirk, electricity sparking in his body. Ash immediately put both hands up and took a few steps back with panic in his eyes. "No, not on me! I meant the Pidgey!"

Pikachu stopped and glanced at the bird, who was staring at the duo curiously now. Just what were these two doing? All it wanted was some piece and quiet until these two decided to show up.

Ash watched as Pikachu turned around and shook his head. The message was clear. Ash hadn't earned the mouse's trust yet to fully command it in battle. He gave Ash a look that said he was on his own.

Ash sighed. Well, there was no point in forcing him to fight. If Pikachu didn't want to battle, it was fine. He understood what the mouse meant and respected his decision, even if it was questionable. "Alright, fine. You just sit back and watch."

Satisified, the mouse in question sat down and watched its trainer pull out a Poke Ball and slowly began to creep towards the clueless Pidgey. The sight was so ridiculous.

"Here little guy..." Ash said as he slowly approached the bird. "Just stay right there and get in this Poke Ball...NOW!"

Pikachu's eyes widened as his trainer lunged forward and prepared to throw the Poke Ball, only to somehow trip on a small stump on the ground and fall forward, the Poke Ball going completely off target. Pidgey squaked and fluttered its tiny wings to safety, flying away over the trees.

The sad part was Ash had aimed it perfectly and had even SEEN the stump before he blindly met with it.

Said trainer coughed and stood up, his jacket a little dirty now from the fall. "Okay, not how I was expecting it. Where'd the ball go anyway?"

Pikachu looked around and noticed the blasted device lying on the grass a good distance away. He ran over and plucked it off and proceeded to roll it towards it trainer.

Ash felt something hit his leg and looked down, seeing the Poke Ball which was now rocking back and forth. He looked ahead and saw Pikachu standing with his eyes closed, facing away. The mouse had decided to be nice for once and save his trainer the trouble. After all, it was the least he could do, right?

Ash smiled and picked up the Poke Ball, wiping the dirt off with his glove and tucking it on his belt. "Thanks, Pikachu. You're not as bad as Professor Oak says you are."

Pikachu nodded, then his mouth scrunched up in disgust at the mention of the elderly man who had captured him before and had caused alot of trouble in return.

Ash noticed the look and laughed, walking over and kneeling down next to his starter. "You don't really like the professor, do you? Can I ask why though? He's not a bad person or anything, he's just trying to take care of you."

Pikachu thought about that. Now that he mentioned it, Oak wasn't really a bad person. Sure the man had chased it around with a fly swatter before but that was in return for causing that blackout for chewing on the electric cables and possibly ruining an important meeting the professor had going.

Huh. Maybe this kid was right. Maybe he was being a little too judgemental.

Ash smiled. "Hey, it's okay. Everybody makes mistakes and you must have gotten the wrong impression. There's nothing wrong with that or anything, nobody's going to hold it against you."

Pikachu looked at him in amazement. Who WAS this kid? Most people would have given up on the rebellious mouse after the first five minutes but here was Ash constantly acting all nice and trying to befriend him. It was as if he BELIEVED in him or something.

Ash stood up and beckoned his starter to follow him. "Come on, let's go. We have to reach Viridian. Let's try to find some other Pokemon on the way."

The two continued to walk on the dirth path for the next fifteen minutes or so, Pikachu following quietly while Ash kept glancing at the map to make sure he was going the right way and such.

Soon, the sky began to get cloudy and before they knew it, the sky had gone from a clear blue to a dull gray and thunder boomed in the distance, giving it some sort of ominous look.

Ash shuddered, knowing that getting caught up in a harsh thunderstorm was NOT something he'd planned on the first day of his journey. Hadn't the weather said it was a clear sky today and not cloudy whatsoever?

Still, Ash wasn't taking any chances. "Hey Pikachu, let's hurry up. It's gonna rain soon."

Pikachu nodded and followed after his trainer. The two were now walking on a dirt path in some sort of forest like area with alot of trees around. They approached a small clearing and the sight made Ash gasp.

"Oh, look! It's a Spearow!"

Sure enough, the bird was standing on a fallen trunk of a tree and seemed to be relaxing. Its eyes were closed so it didn't notice the other two occupants of the area, who were now slowly creeping towards it.

Ash knew Spearow weren't really rare or anything but they were known to be notoriously agressive, especially in combat. One did not simply approach anyone form the Spearow line and catch it, then expect it to obey them. No, they required proper training and protection to tame these wild flyers. Their beaks could cut through the thickest of trees and its evolution Fearow were far more dangerous. Their primary weapons were of course their beaks, which could also drill solid holes in the ground.

Ash didn't want that kind of trouble right now. He DID like the idea of a powerful Fearow being on his team. Surely it would be major help when battling. Cautiously glancing at the Spearow one last time, Ash turned to Pikachu and began to whisper. "Okay, let's try to get closer. But DON'T wake it up, otherwise it's gonna be alot of trouble for us. I know you don't really like me that much Pikachu, but PLEASE listen to me this one time. It's better for the both of us."

Hah! Like he needed to be told twice. Having grown up in the Viridian Forest, Pikachu had faced many dangers of the wild. However, even he knew not to get cocky around this species of birds. In fact, one time he had an awful run in with those damn species over some berries lying around. Long story short...it didn't end too well for the small electric type. At least those bruises from those sharp beaks had healed long ago, otherwise they hurt like hell.

Ash nodded at the affirmative glance he was given and turned back around, only to nearly jump in fright. The Spearow had woken up and was now _staring directly into his soul._

A small squeak escaped the Pallet Town native and Pikachu could've sworn he saw a mischeivous glint in the Spearow's eyes. Oh well. He knew not to joke around with these species and didn't want Ash to get sent to a hospital for multiple stabbed holes in his body, so he jumped protectively in front of his trainer and growled, electricity sparking in his cheeks.

Ash looked surprised and Spearow smirked, not the slightest intimidated by this inferior mouse. The type advantage didn't scare it. Did these two buffoons actually think they could scare it? For Arceus' sake, it was known as one of the most fearsome and deadliest species in the world! A reputation like that came with alot of ego and cockiness, which was what this Spearow was feeling at the moment.

Oh well. It would at least humor them.

 _"Spear row!"_ Spearow squaked and fluttered its wings, taking a fighting stance on top of the trunk. Ash blinked, not expecting his surprise attack to quickly turn around in a full fledged battle.

 _'Well, what else is new?'_ he thought. Fixing his cap, Ash stared the bird down with utter confidence. _'Heh, it's just like the old days with Charmander. Taking on any wild Pokemon we saw and battling together. Even though this ain't him, hopefully it still feels the same way and that I still have my touch.'_

Pikachu looked at Ash and nodded, his expression saying he would actually listen to his trainer this ONCE, and that's it. Something like this couldn't be messed around with.

Spearow took off immediately, flying a few feet in the air before coming back down with a dive. Its beak was pointed at Pikachu, signalling a Peck attack. Ash knew it wouldn't have too much effect but he also knew Pikachu could easily dodge it and follow up with a counter.

So why not take that opportunity? "Pikachu, avoid it and hit it with a Quick Attack!"

Although he was a bit reluctant to obey, Pikachu decided to save his trainer the trouble and jump to the side, avoiding the enemy bird's sharp beak driving into the ground where he once stood.

Spearow looked surprised at first, but then it went into panic as Pikachu nailed it in the side with blinding speed, sending it into a brief tumble.

Ash was surprised at the speed behind the simple Quick Attack. He knew Pikachu were incredibly fast, but this agile as well? This could work out greatly in his favor. "Thundershock!"

Pikachu nodded and let out an electrical shock that pinned Spearow to the ground, electrocuting the bird so badly to the point where a small explosion was formed right after.

Ash watched with narrowed eyes as the smoke slowly cleared. Suddenly, a loud squack was heard and Spearow charged right out of the smoke in a blinding white trail. The bird was so quick that Pikachu had no time to react and was knocked backwards.

Ash whistled at the enemy's Quick Attack. It had been executed pretty well for a wild Pokemon. Ash guessed this was a rather strong Spearow as well, seeing as it was still standing albeit barely.

Speaking of which, the bird suddenly let out a surprised cry as its body was immediately shrouded in electricity. Pikachu stood back up with a smug expression.

"Static," Ash muttered. He knew of his Pikachu's ability due to his studies on nearby Pokemon when he was young. Thank you Pallet Town Pokemon School. "Pikachu, end this with Thundershock."

Pikachu nodded and prepared to deliver the attack when it the bird suddenly let out a shrill shriek that made him pause and cover his ears. Ash covered his ears as well, wondering what on earth was the Spearow doing. The bird was flapping its wings and seemed to be calling out for something.

Wait. Calling out...? Oh no.

"Pikachu, we need to run! NOW!" Ash suddenly shouted. Pikachu looked back with a confused expression, wondering as to why his trainer was running from this crazy, small bird. He saw the scared look on his trainer's face and the confusion only grew. What the heck was wrong with him? Why was he freaking out all of a sudden?

A shrill cry in the air gave the mouse his answer. Looking up, his eyes widened at the sight of the ARMY of birds in the air, having appeared out of nowhere and looking the two down menacingly.

Oh.

Spearow appeared to be smirking as its species let out mighty cries before diving down. The mouse didn't waste a second breaking after his trainer.

The two ran as fast as they could through the thick trees, Ash panicking like crazy within. He'd read about this one time. When in danger, Spearow would call out for help with a high pitched shriek that was a form of communication in the birds family tree. A kind of a mating call or something like that. The point was that it basically summoned nearby Spearow or even Fearow and they would all group together to hunt down whatever was causing them trouble.

Ash and Pikachu were of course lucky that there were no Fearow around here but still, that was a large amount of Spearow flying after them currently, all letting out agressive shrieks and led by the notorious one they just fought.

It also didn't help that this was the time where it decided to rain out of nowhere. Luck was just not on Ash's side today.

 _'As if it couldn't get any worse!'_ Ash thought as he ducked underneath a branch and made it out of the forest, where he ran upwards a small slope path with his starter following behind. _'First Charmander, and now this! What else do you have for me, Arceus?! Please humor me!'_

Unfortunately, his thoughts came true. It turned out the path the two were running on was actually leading to a small cliff, one that Ash recognized a little too late. He stopped at the edge and gulped as he looked down. It wasn't too high of a fall, but then again, jumping into a river was not on his list.

Pikachu was right beside him, looking down in panic. The two looked back at the flock chasing, vengeance evident in their eyes. Pikachu growled and got ready to fight but Ash stopped him.

"There's too many to take on! They'll be on us before we know it!" Ash exclaimed. He looked back at the jump sight and swallowed his breath. "We need to lose them. You know what we have to do."

Pikachu sighed and dropped his fighting stance. Normally, he would fight back and take on those damn Spearow, but that blasted flock was too much for even him to handle. And he did NOT want to be on the end of receiving those sharp beaks again. Nuh uh. He learned the hard way the first time.

The two nodded and took a deep breath. Pikachu jumped into his trainer's arms, much to his shock. Ash's surprise was gone as Pikachu gave him a look that said "we need to move! Now!"

Ash nodded and closed his eyes before leaping off, internally screaming on the two second drop.

 _SPLASH!_

He gasped on the inside as he submerged under the water and began to frantically swim up. Reaching the surface, he gasped for air as rain furiously began to pound down. Pikachu climbed onto his head and spat some water out of his mouth. Ash grasped his cap and began to swim to shore, struggling against the current.

He mad it, climbing on all fours up the small hill. He sat down and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. Pikachu looked back at the cliff, still in disbelief over what they just did.

Right. Definitely on the unexpected.

Ash sighed and placed his cap back on his head after emptying out the water. "Well, we got wet whether we liked it or not. Let's try to get somewhere dry."

Pikachu didn't say anything and was about to follow when his ears twitched. Looking back in disbelief, the mouse's eyes widened as the flock appeared over the cliff and began to head towards them. They didn't seem to care about the weather, they just wanted to teach these two punks a lesson they would never forget.

Pikachu tugged on Ash's jacket to get his attention. _"Pika! Pikapi!"_

Ash looked at him, then at where the flock was approaching. He felt his eyes widen. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

The two began to run yet again, panting and gasping for air. Ash swore he had never run so fast in his life, his yellow starter feeling the same. The two continued to run as the flock followed for the next three minutes.

Pikachu looked back and nearly fainted when he saw what was behind him. The Spearow flock were literally almost above their heads now! The mouse began to pray in his mind as Ash looked back and let out a surprised cry.

"Their catching up!" he shouted. Pikachu couldn't resist an eye roll. Yeah, way to point out the obvious. But then it all went downhill.

Pikachu let out a surprised cry as he lost his balance and began to tumble on the ground. He stopped rolling, but that was enough time for the Spearow to all dive down and ruthlessly begin pecking him.

Ash heard the pained shouts and turned around, his shock turning into horror once he saw his starter being attacked. Pikachu seemed to be fighting, letting out random Thundershocks that knocked out some Spearow, but wasn't enough for the army swarming him.

It was like a bunch of playground bullies beating up a nerdy kid or something. And Ash hated bullies.

"Leave him alone!" he shouted, picking up a rock and throwing it at them. The Spearow were surprised and briefly drew their attention to the boy. Even in pain, Pikachu had to mentally facepalm. You're outnumbered greatly and your weapon of choice is a rock? A freaking ROCK?!

Ash gulped as the some of the Spearow began to move in on him. Still, his pride and confidence didn't deter him as he stood tall and glared at the enemies. "You don't scare me! Why don't you leave him alone and pick on someone your own size?!"

The group of Spearow moving onto him seemed amused by this while the others ignored him and continued their assault on Pikachu. Ash frowned, knowing this wouldn't work no matter what. However, he couldn't just run away and leave Pikachu to fend for himself. Especially with the number of Spearow here.

Ash took a deep breath, knowing what he was about to do was probably the stupidest thing he would ever do. _'Hang on, Pikachu. I'm on my way!'_

Taking a deep breath, Ash let out a loud scream and blindly charged towards the Spearow. The group of Spearow shockingly moved out of the way as Ash charged at the others, jumping into the pile and wrapping his arms around Pikachu. He knew this would come at a cost however.

The Spearow had all fully turned their attention to him and the next thing the Pallet Town boy knew, he was being assaulted from all sides by Spearow's sharp beaks. He ignored the pain and the need to scream as he ran off with Pikachu still linked in his arms. The mouse wasn't in too bad of a shape but he had definitely seen better days.

Ash kept his head low as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him and the Spearow were just as determined. They ruthlessly pecked at his legs and back and even attempted to stab his neck. He was thankful the Spearow were more interested on attacking his legs.

Pikachu opened an eye and groaned. Looking up, he was confused to be in Ash's arms and seeing the pained looked on his trainer's face, he guessed something was wrong. Mustering the strength to look over, Pikachu was shocked to see the Spearow assaulting his trainer without hesitation. So ruthless and not even a shred of remorse for what would happen if they went to far.

Fury welled up within the mouse. Sure, he wasn't particulary fond of humans but he wasn't messed up in the head like this. Every Thundershock he had given a human was completely non lethal, meant to only be a warning and not seriously hurt anyone. But this...

It was sad to see even Pokemon were cruel and heartless at times.

Ash suddenly gave out a pained cry as a Spearow managed to inflict a stab a little too deep that actually cut through some skin. Pikachu saw some blood on Ash's thigh and his trainer gave a gasp before meeting the ground, Pikachu knocked out of his arms.

The mouse got up and watched as the Spearow all dove in on his downed trainer, beginning to peck him again. More and more fury welled up in the mouse at the sight of his trainer being hurt so badly.

All because he had tried to capture ONE Spearow. This was just ridiculous and Pikachu had just about had enough. Electricity crackled throughout his body, illuminating it brightly. Feeling a surge of power he never even felt before, the mouse let out a high shriek as he leaped in the air.

 _"PIKA-CHUUUU!"_

Mass amount of electricity exploded from the mouse's body, letting loose the most powerful electric attack ever. He wasn't even sure if it was a Thundershock or a Thunder at this point. He didn't care.

All he cared about was protecting his trainer and frying the feathers off these damn birds.

All the Spearow let out pained cries as their bodies were electrocuted, feeling nothing but pain and beyond. The attack lasted quickly just as it started. Not even five seconds later, all the Spearow were lying on the ground charred nearly black and unconscious.

Pikachu huffed and gasped for air as he stood on all fours. That was the most energy the mouse had ever used in his whole life. Just what even was that attack?! And where did it get all that power from anyway?!

Pikachu's attention immediately went to his trainer, who was now getting back up. Ash coughed and took a few deep breaths before blinking and looking around. His eyes widened at the sight of all the unconscious Spearow and the panting Pikachu in front of him.

"Wha-? Pikachu, was this...was this YOU?!"

Pikachu didn't answer, instead continued to pant from the power used and his injuries. Ash looked around at the Spearow before going to stand up.

He felt some pain on his thigh and looked down, seeing the small wound. He sighed. First day and he was already injured. At least he had faced more serious injuries than this when he was younger and knew how to handle them.

Reaching into his bag, Ash pulled out some bandages and began to wrap them around his injured thigh. The process took no more than a minute or two and after some stretching, Ash was able to stand up without any pain whatsoever.

His attention drifted back to Pikachu, who had now dropped on his side and eyes were closing. The mouse's current condition was due to fatigue from the amount of power used in that last attack. He had never generated such a large amount of electricity in a short span of time and he certainly didn't look forward to doing it again.

Ash kneeled down and turned Pikachu over onto his back. He smiled at the mouse, who was now looking at him with weak eyes. "Pikachu...thank you for the save. That was really cutting it close there and what you did just now was truly something I've never seen before. I don't know how people think of you nor do I care. To me, you'll always be a good Pokemon whose mind is on the right path. Thanks for listening to me back there. Now you can rest while I fix you up, then we can continue on like nothing happened, okay? If you still don't trust me, that's fine as I'll keep trying to prove myself."

Pikachu didn't respond or make any sort of movement other than breathe. He did hear his trainer's words and was shocked on the inside. Even after all this, Ash still wasn't mad at him and was rather thankful?! No human had ever done this. Maybe they weren't as bad as he thought. Maybe he did get off the wrong track...

Pikachu opened his eyes and looked at the boy tending to him. There was something very familiar about this boy, yet he couldn't put his finger on it. The personality, the energy, the caring eyes...

Pikachu suddenly felt recognition in his body. _It was him..._

Ash's eyes said it all. There was no hidden malice in them, no sense of trickery or anger. Just happiness and... _love._ He remembered. He remembered all of it. _Every little second._

It was him. The though kept repeating in his mind but there was no question about it.

 _Ash was the boy who saved him by the lake all those years ago._

There it was. It finally struck him, although not the way he expected it. Looking at his trainer, Pikachu felt something he had never felt around a human.

 _Guilt. Regret. Remorse. SADNESS._

All this time, Pikachu had begun to stereotype every human he encountered. All because of how he had been forced to run away from his home due to the humans. He had used that feeling to have nothing but hate against humans and treat them like scum.

And because of him, Ash had gotten hurt. This whole time he had been nothing but a jerk to the same boy who had saved his life when he was a young Pichu. Why? What did his trainer do to deserve this? _Nothing._

Ash smiled as he finished up healing all of Pikachu's wounds. "There, all done! Now we can get back to what we were doing before, right buddy?"

That smile on his face was utterly _painful_ to watch. Not wanting his emotions to show, Pikachu looked away. He would stop being a jerk to Ash. He would actually listen from now on and support his trainer. But he would never speak to him again.

Pikachu didn't deserve his trainer's love after all this.

Ash had a confused look on his face. Pikachu hadn't answered his question and looked away again. But it was the mouse's pained expression that made him confused.

"Pikachu? What's wrong?" Ash asked. "Are you feeling okay?"

No. No he wasn't. He was feeling anything but okay. Still, he just shook his head and motioned for Ash to continue on.

However, Ash was equally as stubborn and knew something was wrong. "You can tell me, Pikachu. I'm your trainer and my job is to help you out. So don't be afraid or anything. Just tell me."

How could he explain? He couldn't! Pikachu shook his head again and began to walk ahead, not wanting this conversation to continue longer. He couldn't tell Ash. He just couldn't. He didn't deserve this. He already had formed a plan in mind. Once they reached Viridian, Pikachu would tell Ash he didn't trust him and run off, go and live in the wild again. He would manage somehow, despite how it had gone for him before. He could handle it.

He just did not deserve to be by Ash's side. Ash was someone who would care for all Pokemon regardless of their personality and traits. And Pikachu was someone who had thrown it all away. He couldn't do it. It was for the best.

He blinked as Ash was suddenly standing in his way. The teen had a look of concern on his face as he kneeled down and looked his starter in the eye. Pikachu couldn't find the strength to look away, and stared his trainer down.

Ash could tell something was definitely wrong. He sighed. "Come on, just tell me. I'm not going to hold it against you or anything, I want to help!"

Pikachu shook his head. No, no he couldn-

"Look, I have to pay you back for saving me back there. So you're telling me whether you like it or not and I'm going to help you out of it, got it?" Ash said with a smile.

Pikachu sighed in defeat. He couldn't hide it from Ash. The boy deserved to know. It would be unfair and Ash certainly didn't deserve that.

Pikachu slowly turned to the side and revealed the scar running up his side. Ash hadn't noticed that before and he was now definitely intrigued. "Whoa, what the heck happened? This looks old and would have been really bad at the time. What exactly happened, Pikachu?"

Pikachu gained a sad look on his face and pointed at Ash, then back at the scar. It took a few minutes until Ash finally understood. "Wait...you're saying I was the one who fixed up your scar back then? But when was that? I don't even remember meeting a Pikachu in my life..." his voice trailed off as realization sinked in.

"...but I do remember a Pichu at a certain point of my life! No way!" he exclaimed. Ash smiled as it put a hand on his starter's head. "I get it. You're regretting this whole situation and thinking its your fault."

Pikachu couldn't help but nod. Great, now his trainer knew. All he had to do now was wait for the boot. But to his surprise, Ash laughed. "Well in that case, you've got nothing to worry about! This wasn't your fault, it was mine. I'm the one who wanted to capture that Spearow and then this mess was created. You have no one but me to blame Pikachu."

Pikachu couldn't believe what he was hearing. All the times he though humans were bad and here was Ash, offering a hand at friendship even after this incident. Arceus, this kid was truly something else.

Ash's smile didn't waver as he put his hand out in front of the mouse's face. "And if you still want to make amends, I say you decide whether or not you want to be my Pokemon. It's your choice to either go back wherever you want to go or come with me and become stronger. Remembering, I'm offering you the welcome with open arms, so choose wisely."

After that, Pikachu didn't even have to think. With tears brimming in his eyes, the mouse ignored the outstretched hand and jumped into his trainer's arms with a smile on his face.

 _"Pikapi..."_ he muttered. Ash laughed and hugged him back. He was happy Pikachu chose to stay with him. He didn't want the mouse to regret this his whole life and suffer in the wild. He chose to travel with Ash and be his faithful companion. And for that reason, he was happy too.

The two pulled away and Ash smiled. "Now...let's get back to climbing our way to the top, shall we?"

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu let out a affirmative cry and the two gave each other a high five before continuing down the path ahead.

 **-XXX-**

It had been an hour since the incident with the Spearow. Ash and Pikachu were closer and more in sync than before as they travelled and battled the trainers that got in the way. It was alot of fun, especially the battles and how they won all of them without breaking a sweat.

Soon, the two were in a small park. There were a few benches and a path leading to a lake. After looking at the map, Ash had found out they needed to go down the path with the lake. He and Pikachu had immediately agreed on that and began to continue on.

"Man, this has been nothing but fun, hasn't it?" Ash asked with a smile. Pikachu was now seated on his shoulder, wearing a happy smile on his face. Ash was sure he had never even seen the mouse smile before the incident an hour ago. Usually, it was that nasty scowl that seemed to glare daggers at everyone around him. Now, the mouse looked harmless and friendly.

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu exclaimed. He liked the view on Ash's shoulder. It was relaxing and way better than walking on the ground. He could definitely get used to this. Plus, it felt good now. All that regret had been washed away the second Ash had forgiven him and offered the friendship. Pikachu couldn't be more thankful to have a trainer like this. He was definitely going to give humans a chance now.

"According to what I know...," Ash suddenly said as he walked. "...there are eight gym leaders stationed around Kanto. Each represents a certain type. I used to be addicted to watching anything league related when I was younger and I know all the gym leaders by heart. There's Brock of Pewter City who uses Rock type Pokemon, the Sensational Sisters of Cerulean City who use Water types, Lt. Surge of Vermilion who uses Electric types, Erika of Celadon who uses Grass types, Koga of Fuchsia who uses Poison types, Sabrina of Saffron who uses Psychic types, Blaine of Cinnabar who uses Fire types, and finally the Viridian gym leader who refuses to reveal his identity and typing. That could be a problem for us, especially since Viridian is the place we're headed right now and the gym leader is said to be the strongest leader in the WORLD. Can you believe that, Pikachu? The world!"

 _"Pika! Pika chu!"_ Pikachu nodded. Someone with that status would be incredibly powerful and that was what the mouse liked, not those weak trainers he fought just now.

Ash had a frown on his face. "Though, at the level we're at, there's no way we could take him on. Unless he uses weaker level Pokemon like the other leaders for beginners like me. Even then, you can't possibly take on a whole team even how strong how you are."

That last sentence was directed at Pikachu's pout but the mouse backed down, knowing his trainer was right. There was only so much energy he could use, right?

"We need to catch more Pokemon. Build a strong team and train so we can be ready," Ash said. Pikachu nodded in agreement. The thought of having other Pokemon travelling with them excited the mouse.

Suddenly, a voice grabbed the two's attention. "Hey! You there!"

They turned to see a boy clad in a yellow shirt and blue shorts make his way towards them. He had a backwards blue cap on and a trademark cocky smirk as he held a Poke Ball and pointed at Ash. "You look like a trainer. Care for a battle against the best trainer on the route?"

Ash and Pikachu looked at each other with raised eyebrows. They have totally annihilated the other trainers on the route quite easily. What made this kid so different? Still, if he called himself the best then Ash wouldn't back out of a fight. "Alright. How many Pokemon you have?"

"Three," the boy answered with a grin. "Name's Rob. Prepare to be destroyed!"

He threw down a Poke Ball and revealed a bipedal, pig like Pokemon with hunched arms and legs and an agressive expression on its face. A Mankey.

Ash and Pikachu looked at each other. This kid was going down.

"Pikachu, you're up," Ash said almost nonchalantly. Here he was, hoping this kid would at least have some strong Pokemon to back up his claim. Oh well, he DID stay he was the strongest on the ROUTE only, so it was okay.

But this was also a chance to see how Pikachu would do on his own. Ash grinned at the opportunity given to him. Perfect training.

"Mankey, start off with Leer, then hit it with Scratch!" Rob exclaimed.

Mankey let out a shrill cry as he stared Pikachu down menacingly before jumping up and slashing downwards with his claws.

Ash grinned. "Knock it away Tail Whip!" Pikachu grinned as well as twirled his tail around, the action slapping Mankey away rather clumsily.

The Fighting type landed on one foot as he skidded on the ground and glared at his opponent. "Do it again!"

Mankey proceeded to repeat the chain of attacks and Ash was quick to counter. "Circle around with Quick Attack. Confuse it."

Rob immediately knew this guy was on a whole different level from the other trainers he'd faced. From the speed Pikachu was showing as he ran circles around the confused Mankey, the boy knew he had to be at his best to win.

But then again, he had three Pokemon and Ash only had one. He was _bound to win._ "Sand Attack!" Rob shouted out. "Then let the Fury Swipes out!"

Mankey nodded and quickly scuffled his feet on the ground, kicking up dirt that got in Pikachu's face. The mouse immediately shut his eyes closed and shook his head, trying to get the dirt off his face. Unfortunately, this let his opponent make the next move.

"Trip it up with Low Kick!" Rob exclaimed. Ash grit his teeth as Mankey lashed out with his leg, striking Pikachu's knee and sending the mouse in a tumble which kicked up even more dirt.

So this kid wasn't lying when he said he was stronger than the others. And Ash wasn't the slightest worried. "Pikachu, get back up and hit it with Quick Attack!"

"That won't work. Jump up and hit it with Low Kick. Once its down, get him with Fury Swipes!"

Ash couldn't resist the smirk on his face once he saw his plan go into action. Mankey jump up and lashed out with his leg just as Pikachu came barreling over, the attack just a few inches away from landing. "Turn left!"

Rob's eyes widened. "What?!"

At the last second, Pikachu skidded to a full stop and shot towards the side as Mankey's kick struck the ground awkwardly, making the pig monkey stumble around and try to catch his balance.

Ash whole heartedly accepted the opportunity. "Thundershock!"

 _"PI-KA!"_ Pikachu let loose its electricity, crashing into the still dizzy pig monkey and this time earning screeches of pain.

Pikachu halted his attack, letting the smoke clear to reveal a badly hurt Mankey, who was now on his last legs. The Fighting type was breathing heavily, yet he still glared at his opponent, challenging his next move.

Ash grinned. "It's over. Quick Attack!"

Pikachu blasted towards his opponent on all fours, leaving a white trail behind at incredible speed that looked like it was too late for Mankey to dodge.

Rob knew as well. "Sand Attack, quick!"

Ash's grin only grew as he his heart began to pump from the battle. "Close your eyes and hit em with everything you got!"

Despite Rob's pleas, it was no use. With his eyes closed, Pikachu only felt the dirt sting his face but not bother his eyes and with that, he slammed into Mankey with as much power as he could.

The force of the impact tossed Mankey back, where it bounced on the ground a few times before one final crash, resulting in a small explosion. The smoke cleared away to reveal an unconscious Mankey.

Rob sighed as he returned his Pokemon while Pikachu returned to his side of the field. The mouse didn't even look like he broke a sweat, still having alot of energy in him. "Okay, that was good. But I still have two MORE Pokemon on me!"

Ash smirked. "Bring it. Pikachu can handle that."

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu hotly exclaimed in agreement. That Mankey was nothing! He had taken harder hits than from that little jumping pig. Whatever this kid would throw at him, he would hit it right back!

"Alright then. Go, Nidoran!" Rob exclaimed. Throwing down a Poke Ball, the white light revealed a purple four legged mouse with some spikes projecting on its back and a small horn.

 _"Nido! Nido Ran!"_ Nidoran barked challengingly at his opponent. Pikachu was unfazed and glared right back. _"Piiika! Pika chu!"_

Ash couldn't help but chuckle. Pikachu definitely was one stubborn Pokemon who had his share of arrogance. "I'll start. Pikachu, Thundershock!"

Pikachu let out his signature attack which sailed towards the patient Nidoran standing in front of him. "Nidoran, dodge it! Go in there with Quick Attack!"

 _"Nido!"_ Nidoran jumped out of the way as the electricity crashed down on his former spot, then shot towards Pikachu in a blazing white trail. That electric mouse loved to run around, right? So why not play its game?

Ash smirked. "Circle him with Quick Attack."

Pikachu smirked as well, then shot to the side much to Nidoran's confusion. However, the poison mouse was forced to stop was Pikachu began to run full circles around him at insane speed, eventually showing multiple copies of the yellow mouse.

Nidoran frantically looked around for any sign of the real Pikachu, but was unable to find anything. Rob bit his lip, unsure of what to do now. He had fallen right into Ash's trap. Just how good was this guy?

Ash decided to do something at last, seeing Nidoran beginning to become dizzy. "Now, hit it!"

 _"Nido!"_ came the painful cry of the purple mouse who had been tossed out of the circle due to the attack coming from seemingly out of nowhere. The Poison type landed on his side and rolled back until coming to a stop. He slowly got up, glaring at the smirking yellow mouse.

"Pikachu, go in for another Quick Attack!"

"Don't let him!" Rob shouted. "Use your own Quick Attack to escape, then nail him with a Poison Sting!"

Pikachu shot towards Nidoran but the poison mouse was quick to oblige and dove out of the way with his own speed. Pikachu skidded to a stop and tried to chase down his opponent, who was now scurrying away from him, occassionally veering left and right.

Rob's eyes shone with victory. "That's it, keep tiring him out! Then get him!" He looked back at Ash, who was watching with narrowed eyes. _'Yes, I finally got him! He doesn't know what to do! Soon, Pikachu will be tired and Nidoran can knock him out! I'm winning this!'_

Nidoran dove to the right one more time, before turning around and shooting out several purple needles at his opponent. Pikachu was charging right towards them and had no time to stop, so the attack looked like it would definitely land.

However, Ash had other plans. "Thundershock."

Rob's jaw dropped as the electricity shot out of Pikachu while he was running and completely cancelled out Poison Sting. Not only that, the yellow mouse's attack kept soaring through unharmed.

Nidoran was struck _hard_ by the Thundershock, which immobilized him long enough for Pikachu to slam into him with Quick Attack, the impact sending the purple mouse flying high in the air and back into a bush.

Rob watched as the Poison type rolled out of the bush with swirls in his eyes. He gulped as he returned his Nidoran and faced Pikachu, who had once again returned to Ash's side with so much energy still. It was clear Rob had seriously underestimated this guy as Pikachu was on a whole different level.

"Well?," Ash said after a moment of silence. "Are you going to bring out your last Pokemon or not? Pikachu's getting tired of waiting."

 _"Pika!"_ the mouse said impatiently. He wanted to thrash another one of this kid's Pokemon. Battling seriously gave him the most satisfaction out of anything.

"You may have defeated two of my Pokemon," Rob said as he pulled out his last Poke Ball. "But don't expect to win against this one. My strongest Pokemon so far! Come out, Raticate!"

From the ball emerged a large, brown furred rat that stood on all fours with its sharp tail curled up and large teeth hissing dangerously. It was clear that this was obviously the strongest Pokemon Ash and Pikachu would have to fight. Most trainers would immediately begin to choke upon seeing the fearsome Raticate and its power.

To Rob's surprise however, Ash and Pikachu both seemed to smirk in excitement. "Now THAT'S what I'm talking about," As grinned. "A Raticate would be perfect for training! Let's do this, Pikachu!"

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu exclaimed with a grin.

Raticate however hissed at Pikachu, leering dangerously at him. This puny mouse thought it would be fun to challenge him, the king of this route? He would show them. _"Raaa..."_

 _"Piiii..."_ Pikachu glared right back. He certainly wasn't afraid of this overgrown rat and would definitely put him in his place.

Rob took the first move. "Show them a real Quick Attack!"

Raticate _lunged_ at Pikachu with blinding speed, one that even the mouse was unable to dodge. Feeling the larger body ram into him, Pikachu was sent sailing back in shock.

Ash's eyes widened. Okay, maybe it was time to get serious. By the looks of it, this Raticate wasn't playing around at all. "Get yourself together and use your own Quick Attack! Circle around it like with the other two and make it confused!"

Pikachu nodded and ducked under Raticate's claw. He began to run circles the larger Pokemon, who looked on with narrowed eyes.

Rob had other plans however. "Charge right through with Slam! If you hit it, then better for us!"

Raticate let out an affirmative cry and literally charged straight through, feeling a sense of satisfaction as Pikachu's pained cry filled the air. The mouse tumbled out uncomfortably as Raticate charged right at him.

Rob was quick to call out an order. "Super Fang!"

Ash's eyes widened. He knew that attack would hurt and with a Pokemon like Raticate, he couldn't take the chance. But instead, another idea formed in his head and despite being risky, it had a high chance of working in his favor.

Rob took note of Ash's silence and smirked. He knew Raticate would pull through. Raticate lunged at Pikachu and bit down hard on the mouse's side. Pikachu let out a pained scream as Raticate picked him up and jerked his head to the side, tossing Pikachu on the other side of the field.

The mouse landed in a heap and slowly got back up. He panted and snarled at Raticate, knowing the attack hurt alot more than he thought. He looked back at Ash, who was watching with narrowed eyes and knew he had some sort of plan in his head.

And when Raticate's next order was given only for the rat to freeze up as electricity wracked his body, Pikachu understood what was Ash thinking. A proud smirk made its way onto the mouse's face as he locked eyes with his trainer and grinned, the latter grinning back. That was definitely worth the pain.

Rob's eyes showed nothing but shock and panic. "Raticate, what's wrong? Why can't you move?!"

Raticate growled but couldn't move his muscles. What the heck? Just a second ago he was tossing that puny mouse around like a rag doll and now he was paralyzed? Since when?

"Static," Ash answered. Rob looked at him in confusion. "Pikachu's ability. Whatever makes contact with him physically gets paralyzed right after. It takes a while for it to work."

Rob grit his teeth. He didn't know any of this! He was just some trainer who had started his journey a week ago and caught three strong Pokemon and conquered this route. He wasn't some expert or intelligent strategist. How COULD he win against someone like Ash?

Regardless, he had to try. "Raticate, snap out of it! Super Fang, go!"

"Won't work," Ash said, seeing Raticate's struggle against the paralysis. "Thundershock!"

Raticate screeched as he was electrocuted, falling down on one knee in pain. Pikachu took this time to nail the giant rat with a Quick Attack, knocking it over and finish it off with one last Thundershock.

Rob sadly recalled Raticate and sighed. "Well, there goes my streak. And here I thought I was the strongest."

Ash smiled. "Hey, don't sweat it. You were pretty good. That was the toughest match I had so far. Just keep training and you'll make it one day."

Rob nodded and walked off, leaving Ash to grin victoriously at Pikachu. "Well buddy, that was one hell of an exercise, wasn't it?"

 _"Pi!"_ Pikachu nodded. He hopped on Ash's shoulder and the two continued to their trek, joking around all the way.

As they walked, Ash began to formulate a kind of training for Pikachu in his mind. "Hey Pikachu, why don't we start working on upgrading? How's learning Thunderbolt sound to you?"

 _"Pika pi chu!"_ Pikachu happily nodded.

 **-XXX-**

Ash stood to the side watching his starter blast more rocks with electricity. The rocks didn't break but they definitely began to crack under the force and pressure of the attack. Ash knew Pikachu's Thundershock would grow stronger and stronger and eventually Thunderbolt would be learned in no time.

Pikachu panted from the last attack and Ash decided it was time to wrap things up. "Alright, good! You're getting better Pikachu. Soon you'll master Thunderbolt!"

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu nodded. He hopped back up Ash's shoulder and the two continued their walk.

It wasn't even ten minutes yet and they heard a scream in the distance. "HELP!"

The two froze, wondering if they just heard that right. "Someone's calling for help," Ash muttered. Pikachu mentaly facepalmed. Yeah, no duh. Depsite this, the two nodded and ran towards the direction of the scream.

The sight that greeted Ash was certainly surprising. A girl who looked about his age with bright orange hair tied into a side ponytail was crouching down next to a brown star shaped Pokemon. The star like Pokemon appeared to be badly injured and on its last legs while the girl worriedly looked on.

The key thing here was the large, blue serpentine like monster all curled up a few feet in front of the girl, glaring down with its large mouth open wide and showing off sharp teeth.

A Gyarados. And the girl's Pokemon appeared to be a Staryu. Ash had heard about those two and knew this was a very dangerous situation. Gyarados were notoriously powerful and high tempered Pokemon who could not be stopped so easily when going on a rampage.

 _This_ Gyarados looked just about ready to kill. Yep, definitely not on Ash's agenda. Still, he ran over and pointed at Gyarados with a determined shout. "Pikachu, Thundershock!"

 _"Pika pika!"_ Pikachu shouted, leaping off his trainer's shoulder and firing off a bolt of electricity that seemed to wrack Gyarados and send it screeching in pain. It tore its gaze away from the girl and glared at the two newcomers, taking up on the challenge. Pikachu glared right back, not unfazed by the sight of his opponent.

Ash took out his Pokedex and aimed it at Gyarados, hoping to get some data off this Pokemon. What he read was certainly disturbing.

Okay, so this one happened to be a male, which are known to be more agressive than the female. And the fact that it was a higher trained and could only be put down by someone with this kind of expertise.

Well, Ash was no expert but he certainly wasn't going to sit back and let his death come so easily. "Pikachu, keep it busy! I'll be right there to help you in a second!"

 _"Pi!"_ Pikachu nodded and let out another Thundershock to start things off. Gyarados roared in pain and fired off a jet of water, which Pikachu dodged and lunged at the bigger Pokemon. The fight was on and Ash knew his starter could handle it.

Turning away from the battle, Ash kneeled down next to the girl who was now checking out her Pokemon. "Hey, are you okay? What happened?"

The girl nodded. "I'm fine. I was just doing some training with my Pokemon for a bit when Gyarados here got out of control and began to attack us again."

"Wait, again? Your Pokemon?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow. "Don't tell me this is YOUR Gyarados."

The girl sighed. "It is. I had it since it was a Magikarp and trained it hard. But once it evolved, it just stopped listening to me and started going on these random rampages. I could normally calm it down but this time it got a lucky hit on my Pokemon and I left my others back home too! Please, you HAVE to help me! I'll do anything!"

"It's fine," Ash smiled. "I got this." He stood up and looked back. "What's your name?"

"Misty Waterflower," the girl replied. "Yours?"

"Ash Ketchum," he replied back with a grin. "Now let me go handle big and scary here. You stay there and tend to your Pokemon!"

With that, Ash turned around and ran back to the battle, Misty shouting to be careful. He stopped a few feet away and smirked, seeing Pikachu was running around all over the place, confusing Gyarados and making the serpent tangle its own body.

Pikachu took notice of his trainer and nodded, running back and standing in front of him. Ash smirked and with utter confidence, flipped his cap into a backwards position. "Alright Pikachu, let's do this. Go in with Quick Attack!"

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu nodded and charged straight at Gyarados.

The Atrocious Pokemon roared and swung its water coated tail forward, aiming to strike the yellow rodent.

Misty took note of this and quickly shouted out to Ash. "Be careful, that's Aqua Tail! That power will knock Pikachu away and hurt it even more!"

Ash looked back and nodded, then turned back to his starter. "Jump over it!"

With amazing agility, Pikachu soared over the watery tail that slammed onto the ground, creating a watery explosion, and was immediately in the air in front of Gyarados' face.

He roared and let loose a furious jet of water that slammed into Pikachu with surprising strength and sent him propelling in the air.

Ash's eyes widened while Misty gasped. "That's Hydro Pump! Watch out for it! It's insanely powerful regardless of what type it's going against!"

Ash nodded and narrowed his eyes. "I see. Avoid the large wall of water that shoots out of his mouth. Got it."

Pikachu began to free fall down towards Gyarados, who opened his mouth wide for a Bite attack. The sharp teeth looked like they would hurt and the mouse could smell the Pokemon's breath away. He winced as he fell downwards, mentally cursing karma for his arrogance.

Ash frowned, knowing it would take a few seconds for Pikachu to generate electricity for Thundershock and by then, Gyarados would have caught him. He didn't want his starter to get hurt but knew he would have to take the hit anyway otherwise the situation would end up worse.

That is, until Misty's voice rang out. "Rapid Spin!"

What happened next surprised Ash as a brown blur shot past him and nailed Gyarados' side with incredible speed, prompting the giant snake to lurch and grunt in pain, momentarily missing the chance to catch Pikachu in his sharp teeth.

The mouse grinned as he landed on the snake's tail while Staryu took a hovering position beside him. Misty walked up to Ash and nodded with a smile. "I've got to help you out, you know? It doesn't take that long to heal a Pokemon."

Ash grinned back and the two shouted out their commands.

"Quick Attack!"

"Swift!"

Gyarados couldn't keep up with the speedy mouse running around up his body and take the pain of the multiple stars blasting onto his body courtesy of Staryu. He roared, unable to beieve he was defeated so easily as Pikachu propelled himself in the air, grinning like a mad scientist the whole time.

With a pump of his fist, Ash cried out the winning kill. "Thundershock!"

 _"Pika-Chuuu!"_

Gyarados' entire body was electrocuted, his typing rendering himself to quadruple the damage received. With a low groan, the snake hunched over, unable to continue the fighting as Pikachu landed on the ground beside Staryu.

Ash turned to Misty. "Quick, capture him now!"

Misty nodded and pulled out a Poke Ball, recalling the unstable Water type in it. Staryu gave a bleeped cheer while Pikachu bumped fists with Ash. "Hell yeah, that was awesome!"

Misty turned to Ash with a smile. "Thanks for the save back there. I wish I could've recalled Gyarados just like that, but it won't stay in its Poke Ball when it snaps. If it weren't for you Ash, I'm not sure what would've happened."

Ash grinned, sheepishly scratching his head. "Aw shucks, you're making me awkward now! It's all good though. I wasn't about to let a Gyarados loose on the first day of my journey anyway!"

"Oh, you just started out as a trainer?" Misty asked intrigued. When Ash nodded, her eyes widened. "Wow, you must be incredibly skilled then! To handle something like a Gyarados that easily...amazing!"

"Aw, come on now. If it wasn't for you coming in, Pikachu would have been eaten alive!" Ash exclaimed. Pikachu nodded an affirmative. He looked at Misty a little wearily though as she was a human. He then reminded himself not all humans were bad and that Misty definitely didn't seem like one so she could be trusted.

Ash put his arms behind his back and sighed. "You don't look like you're around from here, are you?"

Misty shook her head. "Nope. I live in Cerulean City and was just on my way back."

Ash blinked. "Cerulean? What the hell are you doing all the way out here then? Isn't Cerulean, like, crazy far from here?"

"It is," Misty sighed. She picked up her bag and slung it on. "Actually, my dream is to become the best Water type trainer out there. My family didn't really believe me, so I went out on this journey to prove them wrong and accomplish my dream. I already have some Pokemon, but they are all back at my place in Cerulean, Staryu here being the exception."

"Wow, that's...crazy," Ash said. He didn't know what he would do if his family didn't believe in him. Granted, his family was already split up and all he had was his mom, but still. "That must be tough. Your folks not being there to support you and all. I live with my mom and I can't even imagine how that would feel."

"Tell me about it," Misty sighed. She cleared her throat and looked at him. "Anyway, enough about me. I can guess you're trying to take part in the league and defeat all the gym leaders, right?"

"Yup!" Ash nodded. "Me and Pikachu here are ready! I've been waiting my whole life for this!"

 _"Pika!"_ the mouse agreed with a pump of his fist.

Misty chuckled. "Well, good luck with that. It's not easy doing what you're doing and most trainers give up on that. If I see you in the league, I'll be sure to cheer you on."

"Thanks," Ash said. He looked around, seeing the path they were walking on. "So uh, this is the way to Viridian, right? I think we may have gotten lost."

Misty nodded, pointing ahead. "It is. I've been on this path before and its really not that far now. Just maybe fifteen or twenty minutes."

"Great!" Ash exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Misty nodded and then hesitantly asked the question she was holding in. "Hey, can I ask you something? You don't really have to say yes and all, but do you mind if I come with you for the time being? I mean, just until we reach Cerulean! After that, you can continue on but I thought it would be fun to travel with a friend."

Ash seemed to think about that. While he did plan on journeying alone, having a friend accompany him DID sound nice. Plus, Misty seemed pretty cool to hang out with. Sure, it wouldn't be bad. A new experience was something he also looked forward to.

Ash smiled and nodded. "Sure. It'll be more fun and we can also train with each other along the way and help each other out. Sounds nice, right?"

"Totally!" Misty exclaimed. She smiled at him. "Thanks, Ash. You're really a nice guy. I'm looking forward to his journey."

Ash smiled back and looked ahead. "Yeah, me too Misty. Me too."

...

-End of Chapter-


	4. 03-Grudge Match

**Disclaimer: No, I don't.**

 **I meant to upload this on the fourth, but I got caught up in the celebrations and then my birthday came right after and I was out the whole day at Six Flags (my birthday is on the sixth). Anyway to answer some of your questions, I had Misty's introduction be alot different than the one in the anime because alot of people hate on her for how she acts (not me, I LOVE Misty, she is one of my favorite characters). So, I had her be alot more loveable and nicer and while she may be alot softer now, she's still the same Misty we know as you'll see from now. Other than that, enjoy as alot of crazy things happen this chapter!**

 **ARSLOTHES: looking forward to the next chapter, hope you give Ash a unique pairing if he gets one like Anabel or someone like that**

 **-You'll just have to see later on. I was very reluctant on the pairing I chose but somehow managed to work it out to something that I like along with a large amount of my readers. Hopefully you do too.**

 **Guest: I'm really enjoying your story! Really good pacing, amazing plot, very enjoyable! But I hope you can take constructive criticism. I only have one point to make out, "a lot" is two words, you wouldn't say "alittle" so why "alot"? But anyway, keep up the good work! :)**

 **-Uh...f*ck off with your criticism! Nah, I'm only playing. Thanks for telling me that, I always get confused. And I appreciate the compliment, you're in for one hell of a ride if you're already enjoying the beginning this much.**

 **Guest: The trainer is Damien ;)... and are you gonna let us pick what Pokémon Ash catches or have you already decided?**

 **-Well, we'll find out who the trainer is VERY soon. And yeah, I've already decided Ash's team. Sorry but that was the first thing I did when planning this story. Maybe the next one I do, I'll let you guys pick but for now, he has a decided team. All I'm saying is...it's unique in its own way. Kinda. You'll see :)**

 **Triumphant**

-Chapter 3: Grudge Match-

 **Ash's Team**

 **Pikachu (Male)**

Normal talk

 _Thoughts/Flashbacks_

 **Poke/speech**

 **-XXX-**

 **-Viridian City-**

It was now the late evening in which the sun was beginning to set and some wild Pokemon were retreating back to their homes. The population overall seemed to decrease during this time. But Viridian City was a different story.

There were a lot of people out there still but anyone could tell the population was greater during the day.

Right now though, two kids were just walking around and making their way into the Pokemon Center after a long day of travelling and battling. Their current state said it all. With tired eyes and a bit of staggering, the boy and girl both went over to the counter to check out their Pokemon, then made their way back to cushiony seats off to the side where they sat down by the table and began to rest while their Pokemon healed up.

"...Well, THAT took way longer than I expected," Misty mumbled as she rested her head on one arm. The girl let out a yawn, further showing off her exhausted feeling.

Ash nodded. "Tell me about it. We didn't even have dinner yet and I already miss a bed to lie down on. At least we made it to the center, so now we can sit back and wait while our Pokemon heal up, then get our rooms."

"Yeah," the girl agreed. She sighed as she watched Ash pull out his Pokedex and scroll through it. His eyes seemed to show content for some reason. "What are you looking at?"

"Hm? Oh, just checking out Pikachu's current status," Ash said. Holding the Pokedex at an angle to which Misty could see, Ash leaned closer and pointed at the info showing on the screens and began to read them out loud for her. "See how its showing all of Pikachu's information and such? Well if I go here to the bottom right, it can take me to Pikachu's moveset that he currently has and his progress on learning new moves."

"He learned Thunder Wave? Since when?" Misty asked. "And Disarming Voice as an egg move? Wow Ash, that Pikachu of yours must be rare or something. I never even knew Pikachu could learn a Fairy type move."

Ash shrugged. "Eh, what else is new? Besides, it hasn't even been unlocked fully yet. And I don't even know how to unlock it in the first place."

"Maybe he just has to get stronger and start practicing?" Misty asked with a shrug. "I mean, it's natural for Pokemon to learn moves by instinct and practice. Some of my Pokemon have even done that! Though, I don't know about egg moves."

"I'll just ask Professor Oak," Ash said. "I'm surprised I didn't ask before. I guess I was just excited to get my first Pokemon and start my journey."

"Yup, things like that can happen," Misty said with a sigh, leaving Ash a bit confused at her reply. Seeing his look, the girl decided to quickly change the topic to something more appealing. "Hey look at all those moves Pikachu can learn later on! That's pretty cool!"

"It is!" Ash replied, completely forgetting about his companion's reply immediately. "I can't wait until he learns moves like Thunderbolt and Thunder. And it even says Volt Tackle can be learned too! Aw man, that's even better!"

"What? Why?" Misty asked with a confused look. "It's just another attack that takes serious practice."

Ash shook his head. "No, not this one. Misty, you don't know this since you're into Water types, but Volt Tackle is a VERY special move that can only be learned by the Pikachu line. I know this because of watching Lt. Surge's league matches on TV when I was younger. His monster of a Raichu performed this attack and I was hooked. Apparently, Volt Tackle is a key aspect in Pikachu's evolution. I can't really go into too much depth, but it has something to do with the genes of a Pichu being generally stronger and with more amount electricity stored in them. When they evolve and IF and ONLY if they keep the genes, more electricity is still part of their body and Volt Tackle can be utilized. Otherwise when they evolve, the genes grow weaker and weaker until they're of no use. I know it's something like that but I may be missing a few details."

Misty however was still intrigued. "Wow...that's incredible. Who knew a simple, yet rare species of Pokemon held such devastating power within them. I'd like to find something like that in a Water type Pokemon one day."

Ash shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe ALL the types hold something like that. But for now, scientists have only discovered it in the Pikachu line, nothing else. And the fact that MY Pikachu can use that power...oh man, I can't WAIT to get started on that! It's going to be loads of fun!"

Misty nodded. "Just make sure you don't overdo it. I've heard about times when certain Pokemon have used up to much power from their genes and it's had negative results."

A frown grew on the boy's face. "Negative? Like what?"

Misty shrugged. "Well, it's not life threatening or anything but long story short, Pokemon CAN become handicapped at one point in their life."

"Handicapped?"

"Yeah, like unable to use their powers and being capable of only using physical moves like Tackle and Slam. They have to either rely on their physical strength and combat skills or completely retire out of the battling game. It's a shame, as I know there are a lot of Pokemon out there who love the adrenaline rush of battling and to be put out that easily can very well be something you can never live down."

"Ah, I see...damn, I didn't even know that was possible," Ash said. That was one more thing to worry about. Over training. Of course, making it harder to get stronger faster. But he fully understood it was important to slow down sometimes. He couldn't however bear the thought of not being able to have his Pokemon battle anymore because of over exerting their power. How would Pikachu feel...

No. He didn't WANT to think of that. "What a darker tone for the time right now. I don't think I'll be able to sleep that well tonight. Thanks Misty."

The sarcasm was e _vident_ in his tone. However, Misty just smiled and shook her head. "Hey, it's not something to ignore! You should be thanking me I even told you this! With how much you want to be a master and all, you need to be able to fully realize the true potential of your Pokemon and the point where their limits exceed. A key aspect of a champion, which if you don't know is a HUGE dent in your rep."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Ash said. "Seriously though, thanks for telling me this. This brings a whole new perspective when it comes to training and getting stronger. I'll remember this, Misty."

"Don't sweat it. Just remember you owe me."

"...Of course. How's a dinner at some expensive restaurant sound? It's on me."

"Are you asking me out on a date? Already?"

Apparently she must have missed the sarcasm in his voice because Ash immediately panicked and put both hands up. "What?! N-no, are you crazy?! Why would I ask YOU out?!"

Misty had a glimmer in her eyes as she leaned over the table with both hands and smirked dangerously. "Why? What's wrong with taking me out?"

 _'There are so many things wrong with that!'_ He was smart enough to not say it though. Ash gulped as he began to sweat nervously at the girl in front of him. He'd never had girl problems before, only seeing them in movies. What EXACTLY was he supposed to do, now that he was staring into the eyes of death itself?

He almost wimpered at the smirk on the girl's face. "Well? What's wrong with taking me out? I'm not THAT bad, right?" She leaned closer and dangerously whispered the word. " _RIGHT?!"_

How he got into this situation was something he didn't know. But to get out of it was certainly something he was asking for.

Wait. He'd seen a certain method in that one movie before. Deciding it was worth a shot, he cleared his throat and tried to compose himself. Misty smirked, wondering just how he planned to get out of this. Of course she was kidding around but this was too much fun to stop. Oh, she would not let him hear the end of this anytime soon.

Ash sat up straight and looked her in the eyes, mentally cursing himself. "Look, I...alright, you're not bad looking or anything. You're pretty cute and all, but-"

"Oh, you think I'm cute?!" Misty exclaimed.

Ash cursed himself, mentally wanting to kill himself for doing this. "Well yeah, but I, uh, don't really think of you like that. Uh, yeah, you're definitely cute but not really my type. Yeah, not my type! That's what I was looking for. Yeah."

He gulped once again as Misty got a sad look on her face and sat back. "Oh...really? Wow, um, okay...I...I don't know what to say, I..."

Ash sighed and closed his eyes. "Look Misty, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you but you gotta understand that I don't think of you like that, especially if I met you in one day. I'm sorry, I hope we're still frien-"

"Eh, whatever," Misty nonchalantly said as she leaned back with her arms over her head. "I don't really care. I know what's next in the apology speech, so don't bother saying it. It's all good."

Ash blinked, taking a minute to process that. Had he heard that right? "Um...okay? So...what was that?"

Misty blinked. "What, you didn't really think that was REAL, did you? That I'd actually grow feelings for you in one day? Cause that's just ridiculous! There's no way you can be that stupid!"

When all she got was a blank stare, she gasped. "Oh my Arceus, you really are dense! Are you serious right now?!"

"No. Are YOU serious right now?" Ash asked in a deadpan voice. "You got me all worked up for a reason!"

"Yeah, but it was SO worth it," Misty said with a roll of her eyes. "The look on your face was priceless. I've got something on you at last!"

"Whatever!" Ash scoffed. "You don't scare me anyway."

"Suuure...You still owe me by the way."

Ash threw his hands up. "Well, whaddya want from me?! I'm not saying anything!"

Before Misty could answer, the door burst open and all the sounds in the center were drowned away by the loud laughter coming in from the group of boys who just walked in. They were all lead by a blue haired boy whose presence showed off nothing but arrogance and pride.

The boys seemed to be joking about something, evident to their loud laughing and shouting. The few people that were inside gave them looks of slight irritation. Hell, even Nurse Joy seemed annoyed.

"Ugh," Misty rolled her eyes. "Boys. So obnoxious."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked with a shrug. "They're just having fun. Whatever they're talking about must be really funny or something."

"...And to think people ask me WHY I always seem to break off any relationship in a short amount of time."

The boys just stayed in their spot at the table far off to the other side of the building for a while until the blue haired boy stood up and made his way to the counter, still snickering about something.

Ash and Misty watched as he leaned over the counter and smirked at the female operating it. "Hey babe. Are my Pokemon healed yet?"

"Yes. Yes they are," Joy said, ignoring the flirt sent her way. She seemed to be engrossed in the monitor in front of her, not paying attention to the boy.

The boy persisted however. "Thanks. How about we grab something along the way, eh? On me."

"Your Pokemon are right on that tray over there," Joy responded without looking at him. The boy sighed in irritation and muttered something under his breath as he walked over and grabbed the five Poke Balls that he clipped onto his belt, seemingly leaving one behind on purpose.

Nurse Joy seemed to notice the action and spoke up in confusion. "Um, you forgot one."

The boy shook his head. "Nah, I don't need it. The damn thing is too weak and pathetic. It can't even hold its own in one battle. I don't need such a petty Pokemon on my team."

That remark caught the attention of Ash and Misty, the former giving the boy at the counter a nasty look. Misty noticed and leaned over to hiss at him. "Not so funny now, is it?"

Ash ignored her and glared at the boy. "Do you hear this guy, Mist? Who does he think he is, abandoning his Pokemon like that just because they're weak? That's messed up!"

Misty sighed, dropping her aggressive manner and sighed. "Yeah, well unfortunately, there are some people like that in this world. It's a shame really, when you have such talent and let it go to waste like this."

The two watched as Nurse Joy proceeded to stare at the boy in shock, unabe to comprehend what she just heard. "W-what?! You're just going to leave it? Why would you do such a thing?!"

The boy scoffed, lazily waving his hand. "Like I said, I have better things to do than waste my time with a weakling like that. It's too weak and obvious that it doesn't stand a chance with me."

The pink haired nurse wasn't having it though. "You can't just leave it because of that! Think of how it will feel! You can't seriously just abandon it after forming a bond with it!"

The boy was now irritated, glaring at the nurse. "Look, are you really going to give me a lecture here on how to raise my Pokemon? I've already said that Pokemon is useless to me and I don't care how it feels! The only thing I care about is having strong Pokemon on my team and that's it! Nothing else matters!"

"You're just going to leave it without any remorse? What about the bond you shared with that Pokemon? Is this all a joke to you?"

"Bond? What bond?" the boy scoffed. "That weakling could go die for all I care! Now leave me alone and do your job you dumb bitch!"

Nurse Joy gasped and that was the last straw. Ash's fists clenched as he glared at the cold boy ahead. "That's it. I'm done sitting back and hearing this. That kid needs to be taught a lesson."

Misty's eyes widened as her friend suddenly stood up loudly and began to walk towards the two. "Ash, wait!"

She got up and followed him to the counter, stopping as Ash now stood in front of the boy, catching his attention. The blue haired boy was about to walk away, thinking this random kid was just here to heal his Pokemon or something when he noticed the icy glare directed towards him.

The other people in the center watched the whole scene silently. Ash and Misty were both glaring at the boy with absolute hate over his words. "What?"

Ash was the first to speak. "What's wrong with you? Abandoning your Pokemon just like that?! Don't you care about them at all?!"

The blue haired boy was confused at first but then growled as he glared right back. "And who are you? Last time I checked it was rude to intrude in other people's business."

Ash growled and Misty put a hand on his shoulder but kept her glare on the blue haired boy. "Who do you think you are? Using Pokemon just for their strength! That's seriously messed up!"

"Just because a Pokemon is weak doesn't mean it can't grow stronger!" Ash exclaimed. "That's the whole point anyway! Train hard and grow strong! You can't expect it all to be handed to you!"

The boy was not deterred however. "Listen, I don't care about your beliefs, nor do I care about that weakling Pokemon. I do what I believe is right and no one stops me. If I want to leave a Pokemon who is not fit to be on my team, I'll give it the boot without an ounce of care in the world! That's how I will get stronger!"

Ash grit his teeth, trying hard to keep his cool. This guy was really getting on his nerves. This whole time, Ash had fought many trainers who cared for their Pokemon and encouraged them to try harder and yet here was this guy throwing one of his Pokemon away just because they weren't strong enough.

"I can't believe this," Nurse Joy said with a shake of her head. "You're throwing away a lifelong companion for something ridiculous like this. I'm ashamed to have even healed your Pokemon for you!"

"People like him won't understand, Nurse," Misty said with narrowed eyes as the boy glared at her. "He's going to try to grow stronger yet he won't get far with that disgusting attitude of his."

The boy scowled. Were these two inferior fools trying to teach HIM a lesson? "Hah! I don't care what you have to say but nothing will change my mind! Besides," he said as he looked back at Ash. "The training option doesn't work. I've had that Pokemon go through rigorous training by putting all my Pokemon against it and attacking all at once and yet nothing has changed! It always cowers down after a few hits and stops fighting. Hell, sometimes it won't even fight for me when I bring it out of its Poke Ball!"

"That's because you haven't earned its trust yet," Ash spoke with a glare. "It obviously doesn't trust you because it's scared of you and how you treat it! What will attacking it with all your other Pokemon do besides scare and hurt it?!"

"It will show that my expectations are not to be taken lightly," the boy coldly said. "If you can't exceed them, your out whether it be dead or alive."

Ash growled, having enough of this guy. He grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled him close, much to the shock of everyone else. "What's wrong with you?! How could you be so heartless?!"

Before he could continue however, the other boys in the blue haired guy's group all stood up and made their way to the two, standing besides the guy and glaring at Ash. The Pallet Town native glared right back, seemingly unfazed. After all, there was only three other boys besides this prick and they all seemed to be his age, maybe even younger.

"You'd better let Damian go," one of them spoke. "Otherwise it won't end well for you."

"Yeah, nobody messes with Damian!"

"Get lost kid! Don't touch my boy Damian like that!"

Misty put a hand on his shoulder. "Ash, maybe we should go now. Let's not let things get out of hand."

Ash was just about to relent when the blue haired boy named Damian spoke up with a smirk. "Oh really now? And just who exactly came over and tried to pick a fight with me? Well you're lucky that I'm even letting you walk away in one piece, punk! Take your whore of a girlfriend and scram!"

Ash growled and was just about to hit him when Misty beat him and snarled at the boy. "Girlfriend?! Whore?! Alright you piece of filth, you have five seconds to get out of my face before I make you wish your mother kept her legs closed!"

Damian smirked but Ash stood in front and spoke in a low voice. "I'd listen to her if I were you. She can get carried away sometimes and I'm not looking forward to holding her back." He finished with a light shove that sent the other boy stumbling back.

Damian scowled and slapped his friends' hands away, moving forward and grabbing Ash by the collar. "Don't talk to me like that, runt! Why don't you come over and say it to my face?!"

You know what? I will!"

Without warning, the two boys began to shove each other and get in each other's face, shouting obscenities the whole time. Misty and the boys tried to hold each other back respectively but were surprisingly having a hard time doing so. Onlookers watched silently as the shouting and pushing continued, wisely choosing to not step in. Some people even left the sight, not wanting to be around any longer. Who could blame them?

The scuffle barely even lasted a minute before Nurse Joy's voice rang out above everyone else's. "ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH! THERE WILL BE NO FIGHTING IN THE POKEMON CENTER AT ALL! NOW STOP ALL OF THIS AND STAND DOWN OTHERWISE I WILL HAVE THE POLICE HANDLE THIS! UNDERSTOOD?!"

Ash and Damian stopped but kept their glares on each other. They were itching to go back at it again but wisely chose not to, knowing it would be a very bad idea.

With one last scoff, Damian turned heel and stormed out of the building with his friends following. Everyone else went back to what they were doing, seemingly disappointed that the confrontation was already over.

Nurse Joy sighed and picked up the Poke Ball. "What a shame. This Pokemon held so much potential and yet that boy ignorantly chose to throw it all away without any second thoughts."

Ash looked at the Poke Ball and sighed. How would the Pokemon react when he broke the news? Would it be sad to be left behind? Happy that it was finally free of its torture? Whatever it was, Ash knew it deserved to know at least. "Hey Nurse Joy, do you mind if I take a look at what Pokemon that bastard was talking about? It needs to know about this."

Joy looked hesitant but relented. "Okay, but only because you seem like a caring trainer." She handed him the Poke Ball which Ash held in front of him to observe. He wondered just what kind of Pokemon was residing in this device and why Damian had thrown it away. Whatever it was, it didn't deserve to be treated that way and had the right to know of its current predicament.

Misty nudged him. "Well? Let's see what it is."

Ash nodded and proceeded to release the Pokemon inside. They watched as the white light took shape of a familiar lizard species Ash knew all too well and faded away, revealing the orange lizard to curiously look around and let out a _"Char?"_

Misty gasped. "A Charmander?! Are you kidding me?! Why would you ever ditch a Charmander of all Pokemon?! More importanly, how are they useless?!"

Ash ignored all that and instead focused on the creature in front of him. Never in a billion years he would have guessed the mystery Pokemon abandoned by that cruel trainer to be a Charmander. He knew for a fact they were anything BUT useless. Damian was definitely not thinking straight when he made the decision.

Seeing this however brought up memories of his Charmander who he couldn't get earlier today due to it having been taken by the big shot league representative. His heart ached for his old friend, yet he pushed that feeling aside. He coudn't dwell on the past now. This was definitely not the right time.

Ash kneeled down, deciding to break the news. "Hey Charmander. How are you feeling?"

Charmander didn't answer, just staring at the boy with surprise. Ash didn't think anything of it and continued. "I don't know if he told you or not, but uh, your old trainer decided to leave you because he thought you were...weak. I just want you to know I'm sorry and we tried to make him understand but he wouldn't listen."

Charmander said nothing, making Ash a lot more nervous than before. "So uh...we don't know what to do now. Nurse Joy might hand you over to the authorities to find you a new home I guess. I just felt that you needed to know what's going on before anything happens."

Charmander's eyes widened suddenly as if he recognized something and reeled back. _"Char char..."._

Before anyone realized what was happening, Charmander suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Ash. _"Char! Char char!"_

Ash stood there awkwardly, wondering just what was going on. Misty and Nurse Joy looked on quietly, not sure what to do.

Ash was just about to ask what was going on when Pikachu jumped down and cheered happily, getting Charmander's attention. The two grinned at each other, confusing Ash even more.

His questions were answered when Charmander turned to him and smiled, tears brimming at his eyes. Ash felt his eyes widen as recognition flashed within.

"No way..." he breathed. There was no question about it. The orange lizard smiling up at him was none other than the very same Charmander Ash had raised when he was a kid. Of all the things...

"Um, are you okay?" Misty asked. She and Nurse Joy were staring at the two with confused looks. Ash hugged Charmander with a smile. "Good to have you back, bud."

He stood up and looked at the two females in front of them. Obviously they had no idea of Ash and Charmander's history, so it would only be fair to explain. "Alright, so here's the deal..."

Fifteen minutes later, Ash was staring at two very shocked females in front of him. He wasn't surprised by their reaction. Anyone would make that face when you reunited with a lifelong friend at the least expected time.

"I can't believe you helped raise that Charmander as a baby," Misty said with a shake of her head. "It sucks how you couldn't take him right when you started your journey. Man, I can only think how crushing that would feel."

"Yeah, it blows," Ash said. He grinned at Charmander next to him. The lizard seemed to be engaged in a conversation with Pikachu, the two not paying attention to the humans. "At least I got him back. Now the two of us can go on our journey we always wanted!"

Nurse Joy sighed. "The fact that a boy like that Damian could be so heartless. It's hard to imagine such a cheerful Pokemon under a ruthless trainer's care."

"Yeah," Ash nodded, gritting his teeth. "The fact that he even mentioned how he abused Charmander so easily makes me furious. If I ever see him again, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!"

"I agree on that," Misty said with a frown, remembering how she was told off by the rude boy.

Nurse Joy looked at Charmander and nodded. "Let's forget about that for now. What should we do with him?"

"Can't I just take him?" Ash asked in a pleading tone. "He was gonna be my starter after all."

"I'm afraid I don't know. I frankly don't have a problem, but that Charmander is still registered as one of Damian's Pokemon," Joy frowned. "It's illegal to claim another trainer's Pokemon as your own if they are still registered as said trainer's team. It counts as theft and that could very well land you in jail or have your trainer's license revoked."

"What a load of bull!" Ash groaned.

"Wait, can't you just tell Professor Oak? He is the one who assigns the starter Pokemon in the first place. Maybe he has the power to transfer Charmanderas one of your Pokemon," Misty suggested.

Ash stared at her. "Misty, you are a genius. Please show more of this side from now on."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," the Water trainer grumbled. She turned to Joy with a questioning look. "Well?"

The nurse had a thoughtful look before shrugging. "Why not?" She went over to the phone and proceeded to dial up the professor's number. Ash kneeled down to play with his Pokemon for a while.

The phone picked up and went into a video call, showing the elderly man sitting in his chair. "Yes? How can I help you?"

"Not me. Him," Joy ushered for Ash to go over and talk to the man. Oak's face lit up when the Pallet Town boy showed his face. "Hey Professor Oak, how's it going?"

"Ash, my boy! I see you've made it to Viridian City! Tell me, what can I do for you?"

Ash scratched his head and picked up Charmander with a sheepish laugh. "Actually, more like I need a favor."

The boy winced as the professor got a shocked look on his face and proceeded to faint before his very eyes.

An explanation later, Ash stood with Charmander still in his arms and watched as the professor leaned back to think of a solution.

"That is very troubling. I knew from the start that boy would be a bad influence. It's a good thing you are the one who is trying to go through this. I can't imagine a better trainer for Charmander than you, Ash."

"Thanks professor," Ash bowed. "So uh, is there anything you can do?"

Oak nodded. "While it will take a lot of paperwork, I'll take Charmander out of Damian's party and transfer him to yours. It's the least I can do for you, my boy."

"Thanks Professor Oak!" Ash exclaimed, Charmander doing the same thing. "You're the best!"

Oak chuckled. "It's quite alright. Now, you go ahead and win the league for us, got it? Have fun and don't forget your bond with your Pokemon!"

Ash nodded. "Got it. See you later!"

He then hung up and faced Charmander with a grin. "You heard that, right? Now we can travel together like we promised and not worry about anything!"

 _"Char char!"_

 _"Pika!"_

Ash chuckled. "Of course I didn't forget about you, Pikachu. You're in this just as much as Charmander is!"

The mouse was satisified and nodded.

Ash then turned to Misty and Nurse Joy and nodded thankfully. "Thanks for your help, guys. This really means a lot."

Joy smiled and nodded while Misty waved her hand nonchalantly. "Eh, it's all good. Nobody calls me ugly and gets away wi-"

"Uh, hold that thought," Ash suddenly said. He noticed Pikachu's ears twitch, a sign that meant he heard something unfamiliar. It wouldn't matter, as he heard it too. "Do you guys hear that?"

"Yeah...it sounds like some kind of buzzing or something."

They stood there, waiting to see what the noise was. The buzzing seemed to grow louder and louder, making anxiety rise within the three. If it weren't for Pikachu, Ash and Misty's journey would have come to an end right there.

The mouse gasped and shouted out a few words before shoving into Ash with all his might, sending the boy faling back with Charmander in tow. Misty gasped and ran over as Pikachu ushered her over. Whatever was happening couldn't be good at all, considering how the mouse was acting up.

Ash could tell this was a day to remember. The starter mix up. The Spearow attack. Fighting a Gyarados. Reuniting with Charmander.

And the list just grew when the ceiling suddenly exploded and last thing he would expect was for three figures to jump out and land in the middle of the Pokemon Center while other people fled in panic.

Ash coughed through the smoke and scrambled to his feet. He could clearly see the attackers now. One of them was a magenta haired woman who looked to be in her twenties. The other was a blue haired man around the same age. Finally, the last and shortest of them all was the cream furred cat with a gold coin on its head.

What was the most distinct feature was the red 'R' embedded on the chest of the man and woman. It would have been menacing at first but Ash stopped taking it seriously once the motto was recited.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

The one thing Ash was concerned about was the fact that the Meowth had just talked. Nevertheless, he took a fighting stance and glared at the three. "Who are you?!"

The woman looked at him and smirked. "Well well well, look what we have here. This twerp seems to be quite bold to stand up to us!"

The man smirked alongside the woman. "You're right Jessie. And it's quite unfortunate that he does not know who he's dealing with!"

Ash narrowed his eyes. Whoever these guys were, they were obviously up to no good. But just what did they want exactly? And what was with those 'R's on their chests?

His thoughts were snapped out when Misty stood up and glared at the three newcomers. "Hey! Who do you think you are?! You don't go just blowing up ceilings like that! Someone could have gotten seriously hurt or something!"

Jessie yawned and rolled her eyes. "And what does that have to do with us? The innocents are of no concern to us. What matters most is that we take Pokemon from you pesky trainers and earn our livings!"

"Now hand over your Pokemon, please. We don't have all day and we'd like to get our promotion as soon as possible," James said.

Ash growled and stepped up. "Take our Pokemon? Who do you think you are?! If you think you can take our Pokemon just like that, you've got another thing coming!"

"Heh, you got spunk kid. I like dat," the Meowth said as he crossed his arms. "You could make a great admin in da ranks of Team Rocket! But don't go fighting off battles ya can't win. Dat's why I wanna make this easy on ya and give ya an invitation. Whaddaya say?"

Ash's eyes widened but he stood his ground with narrowed eyes. "No."

The trio's eyes widened in surprise. Almost everyone they had come across had handed over their Pokemon at the sight of them. Others had battled but lost. How was this kid not afraid? Oh well, it didn't matter. This was just another battle for them to win.

"Hmph. I'm afraid no isn't an option here," Jessie said as she pulled out a Poke Ball and enlarged it. Now you can start to worry."

James pulled out a Poke Ball and nodded. "We've dealt with trainers like you. You're no different. Prepare for a humiliating defeat at the hands of Team Rocket!"

Meowth grinned and sharpened his claws. "Fine den. Let's get dis show on da road!"

Jessie and James threw their Poke Balls forward and brought out their Pokemon. Ash took note of the purple snake on Jessie's side and the weird purple floating rock on James' side.

An Ekans and Koffing. Both Poison types. While he had fought a few Poison type Pokemon, he knew almost nothing about fighting these two particular kind. Oh well. He would figure out a way.

For now, he needed to defend himself. Before he could say anything, he heard the sound of a Poke Ball opening next to him and saw Misty and her Staryu taking up fighting stances. Misty looked at him and nodded, showing how she was in this as well.

Ash nodded back. "Charmander, you're up! Pikachu, handle that Meowth!"

 _"Pika!"_ The mouse darted over to the side where the cat was waiting for him with a grin.

Pikachu snarled as the cat brandished his claws. "Well well well, what is dis? You a cute little guy, but you ain't on my leve yet. I was gonna go easy on ya, but I'm always down for a game of cat and mouse!" Meowth briefly swiped his claws with a smirk. "What about you?"

 _"Ka chu!"_ Pikachu spat and lunged at his opponent, who was crouched down in a braced position. Meowth swung his legs forward and slid under the yellow mouse, dodging the Quick Attack with ease before lunging forward and slashing to the side.

Pikachu yelped as he felt the cat's Scratch attack stab at his side. He growled and swung a Tail Whip, making Meowth jump back. This action proved to be a mistake, as Pikachu took the opportunity to nail the cat in the gut with a surprise Quick Attack.

"Oof!" Meowth grunted as he slid back on his feet. Pikachu did the same, skidding on all fours and glaring at his opponent. The two's eyes never left each other as they lunged again, going all out.

Ash watched with narrowed eyes, wondering whether he should step in and help or not. _'No. Pikachu's got this! For now, I just need to focus on the fight here and help Misty!'_

"Staryu, Rapid Spin!"

The shout of his companion brought his attention back to the fight, where he saw Staryu spin madly against both Ekans and Koffing, pushing the two enemy Poison types back.

James smirked. "Not enough. Koffing, use Tackle!"

Koffing grinned and flew towards Staryu with its head lowered, aiming to hit with everything it had. Jessie called for a Bite and Ekans lunged as well, the two showing an impressive amount of teamwork.

Ash had other plans however. "Charmander, intercept it with Fury Swipes!"

Charmander gave an affirmative cry and jumped in front of Ekans, slashing madly at the snake that met with the lizard's claws head on.

 _"E-kans!"_ the painful cry came. Because of this interference, Koffing failed to protect himself against Staryu's onslaught of Swift that came surprisingly fast. The rocky Poison type grunted in pain as he reeled back, allowing Charmander to sneak a few slashes in.

Ash watched with satisfaction as his loyal Fire type jumped back and watched his two opponents shake their heads in pain. The boy smirked. He had checked out Charmander's moves on the Pokedex and found them to be rather interesting. Of course, the lizard's moveset mainly consisted of the basic Scratch, Growl, Ember and Fury Swipes but Ash saw that the Fire type was in the midst of learning Metal Claw and Flame Wheel. He also had seen the egg move to be Dragon Rush and that was obviously attempted to be worked on by Damian earlier.

Charmander was definitely as strong as Pikachu. He just needed some improvement on his speed a little. Of course Ash planned to work on that when he got the chance. For now, he had to focus on the fight right now.

Smirking in satisfaction as Koffing was once again blasted back, he ordered another swift strike of Fury Swipes that held the Poison type back and to top it off with an Ember.

Needless to say, Koffing was in a lot of pain and it didn't help that it was constantly bombarded from its trainer's orders. "Koffing old chum, pull yourself together! Don't tell me this two children are actually giving you a hard time!"

"You better not!" Jessie screeched. "I did not come all this way as a high ranked admin just to be knocked down by a pair of measly kids! Ekans, let's kick things up a notch! Sludge!"

"You too Koffing! Help our comrade out!"

 _"Kans!"_

 _"Koff!"_

Ekans and Koffing let out a series of poisonous sludge shoot out of their mouths and strike their foes with amazing precision. Ash winced once the purple glow around Charmander came in immediately after the attack. Poisoned.

"Staryu, you can do it!" Misty's voice was heard over the chaos. "Use Water Gun!"

Staryu managed to dodge the remaining Sludge attacks and let out a stream of water as a form of retaliation. It didn't do any good, as Ekans was able to coil and dodge it.

"Staryu, try again! Don't hold back any power at all!"

Staryu gave an affirmative beep and began to glow blue as it concentrated on the highest levels of hydrogen within its body.

Jessie's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. Ekans, stop it with Glare, then move in with Bite!"

Ekans let out a hiss as its fearsome gaze managed to freeze Staryu in place for a few seconds, allowing time for it to slither forward and snap its sharp teeth onto the enemy starfish. Staryu let out a pained beep as it was tossed back to its trainer, landing harshly on the ground.

"Staryu!" Misty called out worriedly. The effects of paralysis could be seen as Staryu struggled to get back up, Ekans watching with narrowed eyes as it sat coiled a few feet away.

Ash saw the trouble Misty was in and dove in for help. "Charmander, help out with Ember!"

Charmander winced from his poison, but jumped forward and spat out a fireball, forcing Ekans to dodge. The snake didn't have time to rest as Charmander began to slash wildly with Fury Swipes upon Ash's orders. The snake was able to dodge a few attacks, but let out pained cries as its enemy's claws raked its skin.

"Snag him with Bite!" Jessie shouted.

Charmander let out a yelp as his left arm was promptly trapped in Ekans' mouth, the snake's sharp teeth digging in. The lizard winced at another Poison effect and tried to pull the Poison type off.

James took the golden opportunity like no other day. "Koffing, get him! Poison Gas!"

Koffing began to move in and Ash was quick to call out an order. "Ember!"

Unfortunately, Jessie was too. "Hold him down! Use your poison!"

Charmander growled and winced as he felt immense pain shoot up his arm. He glared at Koffing and prepared an Ember, but the poison dug in and he was forced to let out a pained cry and kneel down.

"Charmander!" Ash shouted. "Come on, you can do it! Break out and don't hold back!"

The lizard gasped and struggled to his feet, but Ekans had an iron grip. The snake hadn't deterred from its spot at all and its eyes shown with satisfaction as the poison dug in into its enemy's body. Soon, it would get its chance to deliver the finishing blow.

Charmander weakly glared at the approaching Koffing and prepared an Ember the best he could. It _hurt_ trying to formulate his fire while being poisoned at the same time. However, Ash was counting on him and he couldn't let him down. He just couldn't let it end like this, not after everything they had been through.

He wouldn't have to worry as Staryu flew from nowhere and slammed into Koffing, the Rapid Spin dealing tremendous damage at the speed it was going. Koffing let out a pained cry as it was sent spiralling away.

Before James could call out an order, Misty had already given the next command. "Finish it with Water Gun!"

Koffing stood no chance, the water slamming into him at high power, bringing it down and washing it back to its trainer.

James gasp at the Pokemon who now had swirls in its eyes and was unable to battle. "Koffing!"

Jessie scowled. "You just had to mess up, didn't you? Hmph, no matter. I won't let this opportunity slip and jeopardize our reputation! Meowth, hurry it up back there, then come help me out!"

"You got it!" Meowth's shout was heard from the other side of the building.

Ash however, had other plans. "Ember, NOW!"

"Huh?!" Jessie turned back around.

It was too late anyway. The Ember that had been intended for Koffing had now been blasted into Ekans' face, scorching the snake and making it reel back. Charmander ripped it from his arms and threw it down, wincing at the poison.

Ash took note of his Pokemon's condition. It was clear they had to end this now, otherwise it would be too late. Charmander looked ready to faint any second now.

The boy looked back at Pikachu, seeing the mouse engaged in a tough battle against Meowth. The cat was strong, but he could see Pikachu could definitely outsmart him. The mouse was running circles and occassionally zapping the cat in front of him.

He scoffed. Some villains these three turned out to be. They were strong yes, and this was probably his toughest battle so far but by no means did he feel afraid or overwhelmed. In fact, the only reason he was tense was because of Charmander's condition. He hated seeing his Pokemon in pain and this wasn't helping at all.

A quick turn of his cap signalled it was time to finish this. "Charmander, help Staryu take out that Ekans! Pikachu, wrap this up!"

"Whaddaya mean, wrap dis up?! I'm still standin'!" Meowth shouted. Pikachu snarled something that probably meant, "not for long!" and went back to fighting the cat.

Meowth growled. "Alright den. Dat's how ya wanna play? Fine! Get a load of dis!" He brandished his sharp claws and lunged at the mouse with a grin. "Prepare ta be sliced and diced!"

Pikachu smirked and in the blink of an eye, Meowth felt his breath leave him as he crashed back on the ground. The Quick Attack that had just been executed had bowled him over completely and left him vulnerable.

Upon trying to move his body, Meowth found himself twitching and muscles hardening to the point where he couldn't even feel them. Confusion washed over his face, only to be replaced by recognition.

Paralyzed. He was paralyzed. How? The damn mouse was so quick that he hadn't even seen-

Meowth gasped. "Thunder Wave." The occassional zapping hadn't been mere Thundershocks, rather they were rapid Thunder Waves the mouse had been using in an effort to slow the cat down. No wonder he felt sluggish for most of the time.

Pikachu stood over Meowth with a snarl, feeling triumph and anger at the same time. Meowth's eyes widened at the utter _fury_ that blazed in the mouse's eyes. This wasn't just normal anger directed at the trio for attacking suddenly. No, there was something else. Meowth could see it clearly.

There was a grudge. Pikachu seemed to hold anger not just at them, but for something else. And just what could that be, the trio having been able to trigger it?

"You've lost something," Meowth pointed out. Pikachu's eyes widened and hesitation flashed in his eyes for a brief second before the fury was back. The look said it all.

He was going to kill this damn cat. Meowth wasn't scared, despite the death look he was receiving. Instead, he struggled to get back on his knees only to be smacked down by Pikachu's tail, a warning growl coming from the mouth.

Meowth stared right back, undeterred. "I can see it in yer eyes. You've lost something and yer trying to get revenge. Vengeance for a loved one at least."

Pikachu growled, sparks dangerously showing on his cheeks."

"No...you've lost _someones._ Yer...yer family?"

A quick, subtle nod from the mouse was all he needed. "From who? Is...is it...us?"

Pikachu snarled, sparks growing larger. Meowth felt the aura of a powerful attack coming and there was nothing he could do about it.

 _"Pika pika! Pika CHU!"_

Meowth's eyes widened. "I...I see. So dat's what happened huh? Our organization took yer family away from ya. I don't know what to feel about this..."

Pikachu growled and the sparks were literally on the brink of being unleashed right now. Jessie's voice was heard from the side to top it off. "Meowth, don't just sit there! Help out!"

The cat looked over to see his companion shouting at Ekans to get back up. The snake had been double teamed and attacked at once, leaving it badly hurt. Its magenta haired trainer was screeching numerous orders while James stood on the side, flinching under the harsh voice.

Meowth sighed. "I guess der's really no choice den. I'm sorry for yer loss, I really am."

Pikachu didn't say a word, his eyes were narrowed down all the way.

Meowth gulped. "Just...just get it over with. Y-ya got off dis tim-"

The mouse didn't let him finish, slamming the cat with a hard Quick Attack back to his companions, knocking them over at once. Ash and Misty gasped as Pikachu ran over and let loose a huge Thundershock, electrocuting the three and causing a large explosion to occur.

All that was left was the trio flying off in the sky, yelling, "Team Rocket is BLASTING OFFFF!..."

Ash stood in shocked silence, staring at his yellow companion panting on the ground and glaring at the sky. He didn't know what was happening or why his Pokemon looked so angry. All he saw was the sweet mouse ruthlessly sending off three beings into the sky after nearly electrocuting them to death.

Pikachu looked at his trainer, who had kneeled down to his level. "Pikachu...what was that?"

The mouse shrugged, not really in the mood to talk about it. All he cared about was how good it felt to let all of that anger out. He didn't care if he didn't know those three clowns personally, but their organization was something he loathed and the three were immediately his enemies when he saw their uniforms.

Ash nodded, seeing how the mouse didn't seem to be off. He could tell whatever was bothering him, he didn't want to talk about it. Of course, he wouldn't intrude and decided to let it be, picking up the mouse back on his shoulder. "Okay, just sit back and relax bud. You did good."

Pikachu nodded.

Misty sighed and surveyed the damage. "You guys alright? Those three definitely weren't fooling around."

Ash nodded. "We're good. Can't say about that ceiling though."

"No kidding! This is going to cost so much to repair!" Joy exclaimed. "Damn those three idiots."

Ash and Misty looked at each other, not expecting that kind of language to come out of the sweet nurse's mouth. The two made a mental note to not aggravate her any further.

The two then had the nurse heal their Pokemon, Pikachu making his way back on Ash's shoulder.

Misty sighed. "Well, now what? I don't know about you, but I'm gonna hit the bed. I'm beat after today."

"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back shortly," Ash said.

Misty nodded. "Alright. Nurse Joy, can I have my room please?"

"Sure, let me go get it," Joy said and went back, muttering how much money it would take to repair the roof. Misty nodded at Ash, the latter knowing he could go now. Shooting the big hole in the ceiling one last glance, Ash made his way out of the Pokemon Center.

* * *

Soon, he was walking down a small street that seemed to be the most populated area at this hour. Though there weren't many people out, it was still enough to make Ash feel safe and not worry about whoever was lurking in the darkness and waiting to attack.

The boy sighed and leaned over a railing that overlooked a small river. He stared into the sky and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The sight was so relaxing. The moon was out and there was a cool breeze that filled the night air. Ash felt as if he could fall asleep right here as it was just as peaceful as sleeping indoors.

 _"Pikapi?"_ Pikachu turned to his trainer and looked at him. Ash opened his eyes and nodded back reassuringly. "I'm good. It's just...whatever happened today was crazy as hell. I'd never think I'd go through those kind of events on my first day as a trainer, let alone my life! It's crazy, you know."

 _"Piii."_ Pikachu nodded in agreement. What his trainer said was true. Never in his own life did the mouse go through something that hectic. The last time anything major happened was when...no, he couldn't think about them right now. He'd already forgotten about them for a while and thinking about them after all this was not a good thing.

Ash noticed the mouse's discomfort and frowned. "You know, you don't have to be scared of telling me what's wrong Pikachu. We've both gone through some crazy stuff in our lives. I can relate."

Pikachu seemed to be considering that for a moment. It wasn't like he didn't trust his trainer. Hell, he was ready to give his life for the boy no matter what. It just couldn't be brought up now. He couldn't bear the thought of going through that pain again.

Ash noticed the hesitation and sighed. "I see...you don't want to talk about it right?"

 _"Pi."_

Ash nodded at the reply. "It's cool. I'm not going to force you or anything, just letting you know you can tell me. I'm always out there to have your back."

 _"Piii."_ Pikachu sighed. A part of him wanted to talk about it, but the majority of his mind was made up and the fact that he was scared of the pain added up. He just couldn't go through this right now.

Ash smiled. "Hey, don't worry about it. Let's just sit back for now and enjoy the peace we've gotten this whole day. Then starting tommorow, we can get back on track. What do you say?"

A smile broke out on the yellow mouse's face. His trainer always knew how to lighten the mood. It was no wonder he had befriended this human so easily. _"Chaaa~."_

Ash laughed as the mouse nuzzled the side of his two seperated and he looked around, taking in the sight of the city. "Man, it's so beautiful here. I wish I could stay longer, but I'm out of it right now. All I want is a nice, comfy bed and a good night's sleep."

 _"Pikaaa,"_ Pikachu nodded in agreement. Even after being healed up at the center, the mouse was sore all over from fighting all day. It didn't help that his sides still stung slightly from those Spearow attacks earlier.

Ash turned around, deciding to head back now. After all, it was pretty late and he needed a good rest if he wanted to be awake tommorow. Today was hectic enough-he did not need to know what would be going on starting tommorow.

The boy stopped, seeing something in the distance. A large building stood at the edge of town, hidden behind a group of thick trees. It was dark and barely visible, but Ash could make out the insignia on the top of the building even in the darkness.

A Poke Ball with bold letters sprawled out on top: _Viridian Gym._

Ash knew the Viridian Gym was the first thing he planned to do tommorow, but some part of him was telling him to check it out right now. What was keeping him frozen was the overall sketchy look of the building at this hour. It just so happened to be conveniently placed in a spot where anybody could be jumped and meet with an unfortunate fate. Such beliefs would surely keep anyone out.

Not Ash. He wasn't really worried about all that, the only thing in his mind was how the gym looked inside. Pokemon Gyms weren't open all day but some gym leaders tend to stay late at times and the building had a small, dim light shining inside.

It wouldn't hurt to go check it out and see firsthand just who the mysterious gym leader was. Whatever was the typing and how they battled was sure to help Ash prepare in advance. It was all for the good.

"Let's check it out," he muttered. Pikachu was confused, but then shrugged. Why not? They were already up at this point.

Ash walked over to the gym, not feeling spooked by the atmosphere around at all. It wasn't until he stopped in front of the building that hesitation seemed to spike within him. He couldn't tell why, but this place gave off bad vibes.

 _"Pika?"_

Ash shook his head. "It's nothing, bud. Let's go in and see who's in charge of this place."

He stood in front of the locked door and raised his hand to press the buzzer. Every Pokemon gym in each region was obviously locked and had a buzzer on. You couldn't just walk in as if it were your home or something. Not to mention gym leaders had a lot of paperwork and they were paid a high amount of money that was sometimes stored in the gym itself. Security measures had to be taken to protect their reputations at all costs.

Ash didn't know what to expect when the buzzer rang and the door was unlocked. Not many people were up at this hour and this just made the place even sketchier than before. However, Ash wiped those thoughts away and went in with the intent of seeing who this leader was.

The gym was nearly dark inside. Of course, the usual assistant wasn't there to direct any challengers to the battlefield, so Ash had to slowly manuever his way through the darkness, eventually seeing a light in the distance.

The battlefield. Of course, the main attraction for the gym was still up and running right now. Ash took a deep breath and pushed the heavy steel doors open and stepped inside.

The field, he saw, was pretty basic. The ground was just piled up with dirt and there were no obstacles to represent the theme at all. This was surprising, especially since he had seen many gym battles on television before where the gym leaders all had a theme to match their type.

The Sensational Sisters for example had an enormous pool that took up the entire room. There would be a few platforms where the Pokemon could stand on, but otherwise it was just water to match their type. Erika, the grass type leader had a battlefield that was basically a big garden with a lot of trees around. Nothing to crazy.

This was just plain and dull for the most powerful gym leader of Kanto and one of the most strongest trainers in the world.

Ash stood there confused. Where was the leader? Hadn't they let him in? Wouldn't they be waiting for him to question what was he doing here at this hour?

"Hello? Anybody here?" Ash called out. He was getting impatient now. He was tired, and just wanted to sleep and not waste time here. This place was eerie enough already.

"Hello?!"

Ash waited and let out a groan. "Great, what a waste of time. You know, if you wanted to be left alone, you could have just left the door locked!"

He turned around and prepared to leave when a chuckle stopped him. Footsteps echoed in the darkness as the boy turned around, curiousity glimmering in his eyes. He could see him now.

On the other side of the field, a man slowly stepped out of the darkness. He had a black suit on and black shoes, hands in his pockets. The man looked formal and simple, something no other gym leader had.

Ash was filled with excitement as the man stepped out into the light. He had been dying to see who the Viridian gym leader was ever since they took up position. He knew firsthand that this leader was incredibly skilled and hadn't seen any of their battles yet on live television. The boy would finally get to meet one of the most powerful trainers in the world and he was nothing but psyched.

And all the emotions vanished just like that when the leader fully stepped into the light, his face fully visible in the dim light. A smirk was on the man's face and his jet black hair shined brightly, giving him more of a menacing look.

"Well, this is a surprise," the man spoke. "But then again, you were always the impatient one, my son."

Ash's face twisted into a hateful scowl, one that even hand Pikachu wondering if this was his trainer for a moment. _"Giovanni."_

His tone was icy, yet the man was undeterred. Instead, his eyes seemed to shine with amusement as he stared down the boy with the cold smirk that refused to move on his face. "Now now, where is that respect you young ones are supposed to treat your elders with? I find it kind of odd for you to call your old man by his real name."

Ash growled as he took a step forward. "I can call you whatever the hell I want. You can't tell me what to do."

Pikachu gaped at his trainer. Who was this kid? Where was the cheery, hot headed trainer he had met just today? The mouse peered into his eyes and recoiled at the fury radiating out from them. Whoever this man was clearly had upset Ash in the wrong way. It made him the mouse's enemy too in that case.

Giovanni hummed with amusement as Pikachu growled alongside his trainer. "Isn't that cute? Your little mouse seems to behave just like you in a sense. Although I'm surprised. I thought you were going for that frail, little Charmander of yours."

"Don't worry about him!" Ash snapped back. "I have him with me right now in this Poke Ball! And besides, why do you care?"

"Hm, well obviously I have to look out after my son. It's his first day as a trainer after all. I also wouldn't want to miss out like I did with your brother."

Ash snorted. "Seriously? YOU'RE the reason Silver ran away in the first place! After what you did, I don't think you should be embracing the title of my 'father' in the first place. I made sure to forget all about you the day you left."

"And yet I didn't."

Ash froze up, not quite expecting that answer. What happened? Just now he had his rebellious attitude and was snarkily responding back to his so called father in every way and yet this one sentence made him freeze up all of a sudden.

Giovanni smirked. "I don't think you should be embracing your attitude with me. Being the weak trainer you are, that ego of yours will get you nowhere along with your small, frail Pokemon."

"You've got a lot of nerve for saying that!" Ash snapped back, clearly beginning to lose his temper now. Pikachu equally snarled. Who was he calling weak? He hadn't even lost a single battle today!

"Well, it's true. Based on what I see here, it's obvious you've accomplished nothing so far except defeat those pathetic kids who call themselves trainers on the way here. Do you really think that kind of training is enough to get you where you want to be in this world? I think not."

"I don't care what you think! I believe in my Pokemon and they WILL get stronger!" Ash exclaimed. "Besides, you're not one to talk. I'd like to see how strong are YOU exactly. Strongest gym leader in Kanto and one of the most powerful trainers in the world? I don't think so!"

Giovanni's smirk seemed to grow slightly wider as his eyes glimmered with excitement. "Is that so? Then why not prove it right here and now? After all, it's just you and me in the gym. It'll be just like old times, father and son. Besides, I'd love to see how far have YOU gotten in terms of training. Let's see how strong our little 'Pokemon Master' is."

Ash scoffed. "Yeah right. I don't have to prove anything to you. You're not worthy of being a gym leader. A gym leader embraces their position with honor and take up the responsibility of living up to their name. What have you done? Hide your identity and cower inside here like a weakling! Sounds ironic, eh?"

Despite his harsh words, Ash was surprised to see Giovanni still stand relaxed as before, not even disturbed by the insults thrown his way. Instead, the man merely chuckled and closed his eyes. Ash scowled. "What's so funny?"

Giovanni stopped chuckling and smirked at him. "These insults of yours do nothing but amuse me. You're making it sound like you've actually accomplished something on your journey that you're proud of. Perhaps you are a strong trainer, one who wouldn't turn his back on a simple challenge like this."

Ash took a deep breath and sighed. He knew his father was getting to him but he couldn't help his temper. His ego won out the internal battle in his head quite easily. "I can show you here right now just how far I've gotten on my first day only. Just know I'm going to wipe that ridiculous smirk off your face if it's the last thing I do!"

Giovanni nodded. "Very well then. As your father, I will start off easy on you. A two on two will do, yes?"

"I don't care what it is, just get on with it!" Ash snapped. "I'm still going to beat you no matter what!"

Giovanni sighed. "Two on two it is. I will allow you to select your Pokemon first."

"Fine by me! Charmander, you're up!" Ash shouted, tossing the Poke Ball in the air.

The ball burst opened and the orange lizard hopped out with an energetic _"Char!"_

Charmander looked at his opponent and recoiled in surprise at the sight of a smirking Giovanni. He looked back at Ash with hesitation but his trainer just sighed. "Charmander, listen up. We're in a gym battle right now, a very important one. I know I've only battled with you once, but please bear with me, okay?"

Charmander wasn't sure what to expect, but he nodded. _"Char! Char char!"_

Ash smiled and nodded. "Good." From his shoulder, Pikachu waved his arms and gave Charmander a thumbs up. _"Pika!"_

Their attention was diverted back to a chuckling Giovanni, who was now holding a Poke Ball in his hand. Giovanni smirked at him. "You know, a good trait of being a trainer is that they always make sure to analyze their opponent before going into battle. Gym leaders are stationed around each region and differ in only the type they utilize." He enlarged the Poke Ball and clenched it harder. "Tell me, Ash. Do you know what type I use as the strongest gym leader in Kanto?"

Ash didn't answer, instead continued to glare.

Giovanni threw down the Poke Ball, the capsule bursting into blinding white light before dying away, revealing the large behemoth in front of him. "Welcome to the Viridian Gym, my son. Here I introduce you to the very type that houses strong and powerful Pokemon that are capable of reshaping the earth itself with their powers. I bring you, the Ground type gym!"

Ash wasn't sure what to expect now that he heard that, but he didn't care. His attention had all vanished from his father to the large, hulking monster in front that was growling at its prey. The beast itself was huge, standing a little taller than the average human. Giovanni was a pretty tall man, so the Pokemon was a little bit taller than him.

However, Ash was shorter and the beast simply _towered_ over him and his Pokemon, both who were now having second thoughts for the first time. Who could blame them? This was practically suicide!

Giovanni's monster seemed to be a large rhino like creature with strong, rough grey scales that covered its body. A cream underbelly was present and its rocky scales looked like armor on its body. The large, sharp horn on its head spun menacingly as it stared down its opponents, a deep growl escaping its throat.

Overall, this was didn't even seem like a battle anymore. More like Ash punishing his Pokemon in a very horrible manner.

Giovanni's hands travelled back down his pockets as he relaxed back. "I see you're enthralled by my Rhydon. You're not the only one. Anyone whose seen this Pokemon has left the gym with the same expression."

Ash didn't answer, deciding to come up with every single strategy he could to counter this beast. He scanned it with his Pokedex, finding it to be male and a lot more menacing. However, one thing seemed to be innacurate about this Rhydon.

Giovanni noticed as well and he answered. "My Rhydon is bigger than the average Rhydon, a lot bigger. He's gone through the most training out of any of my other Pokemon and is pretty close to evolving soon. Let's see what can you do Ash, against my most powerful Pokemon."

Ash gulped, not having expecting this at all. What an unfortunate turn of events. His father, a gym leader. The type? Ground. Ground was the one thing that none of his Pokemon could stand up to, so that was already a disadvantage. But what was the overall winning kill? The fact that this man was reverred as the strongest gym leader and had even fought the champion once and almost _won._

It didn't help that this particular Rhydon, who just so happened to be his father's strongest Pokemon, was snarling at them and snapping his teeth as if they were his latest meal for the day. Oh how he wished he could keep his mouth shut.

Giovanni smirked. "Well? Go on then, your move first."

Ash took a deep breath and nodded. This was it. No turning back now. He had to do this. Monster or not, there was no way he was backing down without a fight. It just wasn't in his blood.

Ash held out his palm and gave the first order. "Start it off with an Ember! Follow it up with a Growl, then move in!"

"Starting off offensive, hm?" Giovanni said. Ash said nothing and watched as the fireball formed in Charmander's mouth and shot out, sailing towards the intended target.

Giovanni said nothing and watched as Rhydon stood there and took the brunt of the attack, a small explosion going off. The smoke cleared and Ash was shocked to find Rhydon hadn't even budged a _millimeter._ The Rock type Pokemon had a smirk on his face, seemingly enjoying the little attempt of an attack.

Charmander was shocked too but then growled as ordered and dashed towards his opponent. Ash decided to continue on. "Ember again! Keep him busy and hit him with your best Fury Swipes!"

He knew his attacks wouldn't be very effective but he needed to get as much damage done in order to win. Giovanni had one more Pokemon ready as well.

Speaking of which, the man seemed to be paying almost no attention to the battle. He kept glancing at his watch and left Rhydon to deal with the battle himself. And the Pokemon himself was doing nothing, simply taking on Charmander's attacks and patiently waiting.

Charmander furiously slashed with all he could, not holding back at all. His claws were strong at his level and could knock out an enemy pretty easily with the training he had done with Damian. But against Giovanni and his Rhydon? He was on a whole different level.

Ash growled. "What are you doing?!" Giovanni looked at him. "Your Pokemon is getting hurt and your not even doing anything, just letting us attack! Do you WANT to lose the battle?!"

Giovanni sighed. "The battle's already been decided." Before Ash could ask what he meant, the man gave his order for the first time. "Stone Edge."

The ground rumbled as Rhydon roared, Charmander freezing up immediately. Before Ash could call out, pointed stones seemed to float off the ground and suddenly bombard the fire lizard mercilessly.

Charmander let out a pained scream as he was knocked into the air, only to be pelted by _more_ stones. Ash could only stare in shock at the sudden powerful attack.

 _"Pika..."_ Pikachu muttered in awe.

The battle was already over. Charmander crashed down defeated, swirls in his eyes clearly present. Rhydon took his position back with a nasty smirk. He had clearly enjoyed this brutal finish.

Ash stared in shock before recollecting himself and shakily recalling Charmander back. "Th-that was unnecessary. A simple Horn Attack or something would've been enough."

"The real world doesn't play by your rules," Giovanni coldly said. "Get it in your dense head."

Ash scowled. "Alright then, Pikachu you're up!"

Pikachu looked surprised that his trainer still wanted to battle despite the brutal ending just now. He gave his trainer a questioning look before reluctantly hopping down and taking his spot on the field.

Rhydon smirked as Giovanni sighed. "You're going to get your Pokemon hurt. I suggest you forfeit this battle if you want your Pokemon to be in one piece. Because I for one will not hold back my strength at all."

Those cold words seemed to have Ash shake and hesitate, but he stood tall and glared right back. "Never. I never back down from a challenge, even if it isn't in my favor. I believe in my Pokemon and won't ever stop. You got that?"

His father shook his head. "Still the same as ever. You disappoint me, son."

Ash growled. "Shut up. Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu let out a determined cry and shot forward at blazing speed, one that even had Rhydon's eyes widen a little. The mouse slammed into the Rock type's stomach as hard as he could, bouncing off the hard belly and rolling away.

The mouse was shocked to see Rhydon hadn't budged at all, the brute merely snorting at the weak attempt. That attack tickled.

Ash knew it wouldn't be effective that much, but Pikachu's Electric type moves were completely useless with Rhydon's Ground type. It was simply impossible to do a lot of damage at once and therefore Ash had to be patient and slowly take out Giovanni's Pokemon slow and steady.

Rhydon had a grin on his face as he reared his arm back and proceeded to bring it down. Pikachu gasped and scampered away as the brute's fist came crashing down, creating a large hole in the dirt field and kicking up dust everywhere.

Ash was surprised at the strength of the normal punch. This was a dangerous Pokemon for sure, the boy making a mental note of not catching a Rhydon anytime soon.

Giovanni hummed, wanting to see just how this would play out. Ash scowled. "Come on, bud! Hit it with Quick Attack as fast as you can! Don't give it a chance to move!"

 _"Pika!"_ Pikachu complied and shot forward, slamming into Rhydon's rocky armor left and right. The beast attempted to attack but he couldn't correctly see the mouse from how fast it was going.

The attempt continued on for a half a minute longer, Pikachu slamming into Rhydon repeatedly from all sides and doing almost no damage. Ash knew he had to be patient as that was the only way he could win.

He closely watched as Pikachu slammed into Rhydon and crouched down, before moving in again. The mouse this time aimed for the Rock type's face and was about to land the hit when Giovanni called out, "Block it."

Ash wasn't sure what happened next, but Pikachu had suddenly bounced off Rhydon's rocky arm just before he could strike the beast's face. The mouse landed on the ground uncomfortably just below the brute and dusted himself off. Before he could move, Giovanni's cold voice boomed, "Stomp."

The mouse's eyes widened at the thought of becoming a flattened pancake at the hands of this wild beast and dove out of the way as Rhydon's foot came crashing down where he once stood.

The force of the Stomp was so powerful that Pikachu was blown away and sent rolling back. Ash tried to call out an order but Giovanni once again beat him to the punch. "Earthquake."

Rhydon _roared_ and smashed his right arm in the ground. Ash gasped and struggled to stay on his feet as the ground violently shook under the force of the attack. Luckily, trainers had a small psychic barrier around them at all times when battling on a field so he was protected.

The same couldn't be said for Pikachu though. The mouse had only bounced once from the shaking ground and he was already knocked out when his head met the violent ground again. Ash could only watch helplessly as the mouse was tossed around like a ragdoll until the shaking stopped, dust floating everywhere and covering the field.

The outcome was obvious and Ash raced to the middle of the field. "Pikachu!" He stopped and kneeled down, picking up and cradling the mouse in his arms. The electric type was out cold and Ash could only feel guilty. He couldn't believe it. He had lost so easily and it was to this man himself. The humiliation was nothing compared to the guilt he felt. He sent his Pokemon out on a battle they just could not win and they ended up getting hurt.

Giovanni returned Rhydon and sighed. "What a disappointment," he muttered. He watched as Ash stood up with Pikachu in his arms. His hat was down, covering his face. The boy sighed and looked up at his father.

Giovanni said nothing and the two stared at each other. Finally, Ash spoke. "Congratulations. You won." The response was blatant and forced, bitterness obvious in the boy's voice. His expression only had concern and guilt for his Pokemon, something Giovanni noted.

The man sighed. "Listen, Ash. The world's not an easy place as you think. How I battled today is nothing compared to what you're going to face out there. You have to learn to get used to this."

Ash said nothing and sighed. "Look, you already won. I'm going to go leave now and heal up my Pokemon. Hope you're happy."

"Hmph. Don't give me that attitude. You KNOW why you lost. Don't pin it on me." Ash said nothing again and the man continued. "You need to get stronger. Don't let it all get to your head. Build a stronger team and come back to face me once you've gotten stronger."

Ash glared at him finally. "You don't have to worry about that. Getting stronger is the first thing on my list."

Giovanni nodded. "That's what I'm expecting. Don't disappoint me." He suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a Poke Ball, holding it out to the now confused boy in front of him. "In here is a rare Pokemon from a faraway region. It is a grass type Pokemon, a strong one too. I've noticed how you'll need a Pokemon to help you cover your Charmander and Pikachu's weaknesses. This will help out."

Ash stared at the man with shock. "Why are you helping me? Don't you hate me and all?"

Giovanni sighed. "I've never hated you Ash. I simply wanted my blood to be what I am, and take on the world knowing exactly what you're doing. This is simply me helping you out as a father."

Ash stood there silently before looking up again. "I see. Well I'll have you know I'll never be what you are: a cruel, heartless man who cares for nothing but to grow stronger. Is that it? Well guess what. You've been out of my life for a while now and I've grown used to it. Nothing you say can make me forgive you or welcome you back. I'm my own person and I will make MY own decisions. No one will tell me what to do."

"I'm not asking for forgiveness or anything," Giovanni spat, his cold demeanor returning. "I'm simply doing you a favor. Take this Pokemon because I sure am not taking it back."

The two glared at each other for a while before Ash relented and swiped the Poke Ball from the man's hand. His glare never left though. "I'll be back, Giovanni. Just wait. I'll be back stronger than ever and then you'll see who's strong."

Giovanni nodded. "And I'll be waiting. Come back when you've gotten all the gym badges of Kanto. I expect you to be a lot stronger than you are now and actually think with your head. Don't disappoint me."

That was the last thing the man said before turning around and walking off into the darkness.

Ash stood there, staring at the Poke Ball in his hand before placing it on his belt. He would see what Pokemon his father had given later. Right now he needed to get to the Pokemon Center.

He grit his teeth, remembering his father's cold attitude towards him. The thought made him boil. He turned around and glared back in the darkness where Giovanni had left.

 _'Just you wait, Giovanni. I'm going to come back and be stronger than ever! Until then, just pray that you can still stay strong.'_

...

-End of Chapter-


End file.
